Changing Career Within Your Organization

Staying Challenged with a New Role

Your current company can provide some great career opportunities.

You've been working within your organization for a few years. You love the company, the culture, and the people.

The problem is that you've become bored in your current job. Things are too predictable, and you're not challenged in the way that you used to be. Perhaps you're not inspired by the chance of a promotion to a more senior position, or you're thinking not just about a change of job, but a change of career instead.

Many of us will change career a number of times in our working lives. But that doesn't mean we have to move to a different company – we may look to change career within the organization we already work for.

For example, an IT Manager with great people skills might decide that her future lies in human resources, or a sales representative might want to make a move into the marketing department. Both could consider changing career within their current organization.

In this article, we'll look at the benefits of starting a new career within your existing organization, and we'll think about the best way to prepare the make the transition. We'll also look at overcoming any potential barriers, and offer some ideas on what to do if changing career within your organization isn't practical.

Benefits

There are many benefits to changing career within your organization. For example:

It's often easier than looking for a new job elsewhere – Finding a new position within your organization may be easier than searching for a new job at another company. This is because your organization knows you – you have a proven track record and you know the culture. Companies also know that it's much easier to train an insider than someone brand new.
It's a great way to stay challenged and engaged – When you're passionate and engaged in what you do, you're more productive. Most organizations realize this.
You're more likely to be supported – If you look to start a new career elsewhere, you'll have little support in researching and finding a job. However, if you look to change career within your current company you can expect support from your human resources department, your colleagues, and maybe even your manager.
You'll expand your experience – If you ever decide to leave your company in the future, or if you're laid off due to downsizing, you'll have more skills to offer a new employer.

How to Prepare

Here are a few guidelines to help you get ready for a career change:

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