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wwyd? moving between departments?

4 replies

tricot39 · 08/08/2013 22:31

hi
i am looking for advice on how to handle the office politics of arranging a move between teams. i am fed up working in a team with my current boss and might like to arrange a move to work for an old colleague. I can't think of a tactful way of asking about this although i think my current boss would be happy to see me go! How do I arrange this and still keep things civil?
tia

OP posts:
tribpot · 08/08/2013 22:33

Are you wanting to speak to your current boss tactfully or make tactful inquiries of the old colleague?

I would speak to the old colleague first myself, suss out what's what, and if it looks like a goer, I'd hope the colleague would go to the current boss him/herself to request you. That would make things easier all round. If not, you're in a position to tell current boss what it is about colleague's team that appeals to you (suitable lie rather than 'you're not in it' Wink )

EBearhug · 08/08/2013 22:43

I think a huge amount depends on how your employer functions. My company is currently pushing development and internal moves, but that's not the same as it happening in practice. Having said that, it does indicate they're at least on board with the theory, which helps pave the way.

Do you have a development plan of any sort? This could be a formal one that leads to your annual performance review or however your company does it - but even if they don't work like that, you can have your own plan. Where do you want your career to go? What experience do you want to gain? What will it bring to the business?

If you can answer some of those questions, then it will give you a way of asking more tactfully even if everyone knows underneath it's because your current boss is duff. You need to focus on where you want to go to rather than where you're going from when you consider the "why" question. Look at things like the experience you'll gain, and how that'll help you in the future. You should also be aware of what skills and experience you have from your current job, which would be useful when transferred to the new role. Emphasise how the change would benefit the business.

(In my case, I suspect this will be comparatively easy, if I find out where I want to go, as my manager said yesterday, "Well, you're basically in the wrong job." Which was helpful. Not)

tricot39 · 08/08/2013 22:55

I work in a medium sized private partnership so no career plans for anyone - other than head down and earn those fees!

Diffficult to say what I would offer the new team other than bringing some clients/work with me and being an "old hand". now that i work part time post dc i am probably not pulling my weight on the management side.....

I think i will print off our projected group workloads and hopefully find that they are busy enough to.need help but not enough to employ a whole person. That would secure me a place in the team (hopefully) but then the big problem is how to break this news to my boss without it being a slap in the face for him?

OP posts:
EBearhug · 08/08/2013 23:06

You can always make your own development plan for yourself, even if your manager isn't in on the idea. It can give you some idea of where you want to progress to. And if not an actual development plan, at least review all your skills and what you'd like to improve on.

I'm sure you can find reasons to go to the other team if you think about it - practise some creativity. Smile

You don't need to break any news to your current boss until you've got some news to break, so you've got time to work on that. Generally, these things are best kept factual. "I've got an opportunity in this other team, and I would like to take it up."

Probably worth checking if there are any policies around internal moves - does there have to be hand over time or anything? One of my previous employer had to have the respective heads of department involved and agree to a mutually acceptable transfer date. It did lead to some ridiculous changeover times - longer than if you just resigned as you would for an external job.

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