What are the benefits and drawbacks of internal vs. external career mobility?

One thing that I found helpful for supporting internal career mobility is having culture of organizational learning. This entails several cultural mindset shifts for leaders, such as: the ability to change policies, practices, and processes; the willingness to transfer critical knowledge inside the organization; have well supported process to challenge the status quo; and, the desire to experiment and continuously improve.

In my experience, for internal talent mobility to work three things have to be true. First, the company must have a strong skills management platform in place so it can quickly, easily, and validly assess the knowledge and abilities of its talent (beyond those directly linked to their role). Second, there must be a simple and powerful way for leaders and manager to post projects/initiatives, and roles available. Lastly (and perhaps surprisingly), the company must free up time for their talent to invest in short-term and adjacent experiences that use their full skill set and encourage deeper commitment. If we don't provide the time, then internal talent movement will never be equitable nor the powerful asset for engagement that it could be.

Internal career mobility is a vital aspect of a progressive organization's growth. However, it is equally crucial to prioritize talent selection. What I mean is that companies should offer career mobility opportunities specifically to potential employees who possess the desired skills and potential. This allows them to enhance their abilities, broaden their knowledge, and take on greater responsibility. These selected individuals are the focus for career development and succession planning within the organization.

1. Training & Development: Emphasize the importance of continuous training and development programs in promoting internal career mobility. 2. Mentorship Programs: Highlight the role of mentorship in guiding employees through their career path within the organization. 3. Feedback Mechanism: Stress the need for a robust feedback mechanism that helps employees understand areas of improvement, thus aiding in their mobility. 4. Cultural Perspective: Address how organizational culture can either promote or hinder internal career mobility. 5. Comparative Analysis: Compare the benefits of internal mobility to the costs of hiring new employees, both in terms of financial cost and the time it takes to onboard and train new hires.

First, it can increase employee engagement and job satisfaction by providing opportunities for employees to develop new skills, gain new experiences, and take on new challenges within the organization. This can help to retain top talent and reduce turnover. Second, internal career mobility can help to build a pipeline of future leaders within the organization by identifying high-potential employees and providing them with development opportunities. Third, it can reduce recruitment costs and time-to-hire by filling vacancies with internal candidates who are already familiar with the organization's culture, values, and operations.

External career mobility is often seen as risky for employees and costly for companies in the short and mid-term. However, adopting a long-term perspective reveals a different view. It can be considered a strategic opportunity for employees to gain valuable experience and knowledge from reputable companies. Similarly, companies can benefit from the expertise of seasoned professionals. For instance, hiring an experienced sales director externally allows a company to build market presence without concerns of them leaving once objectives are met. Thus, external career mobility can be advantageous if approached strategically.

External career mobility is turnover for the departure company and hiring for the arrival company. Recently, external job searches have allowed employees to escape blockers at their old company or finally get pay raises - often significant raises. Ironically, the same company that won't give a raise to a high-performing incumbent will happily pay a new hire 20% more, citing external competition. Even more ironic, boomerang employees return as new hires months after leaving and receive a hefty pay raise for their efforts. It's terrible when workplaces treat employees like commodities - they add insult to injury by separating the commodities into internal and external, willing to pay more for an identical product from an external source.

My experience has been there is a cultural shift in corporations and we need an answer to the great resignation and internal career mobility could be the answer. Being a loyal employee can have its draw backs when it comes to hiring an external employee. Often external employees are paid more and internal employees are left to train someone coming in at a higher rate. This can be very discouraging. And cause employees to leave an organization feeling under appreciated and valued.

External career mobility: movement outside current organization ?? Benefits for employees: ??Exposure to new challenges, environments, cultures ?? ??Increased market value & bargaining power ?? Benefits for employers: ??Fresh talent, ideas, perspectives ?? ??Positive employer brand & reputation ?? Drawbacks: ??Loss of valuable human capital ?? ??Increased recruitment & training costs ?? ??Disrupted organizational continuity & stability ??? Balancing act: leverage benefits of external mobility while minimizing potential drawbacks for optimal organizational success ??

It can help to attract top talent from outside the organization who bring new perspectives, experiences, and skills. External career mobility can help to fill skill gaps and bring in expertise that may not be available within the organization. It can promote a culture of innovation and creativity by bringing in new ideas and best practices from other organizations. External career mobility can help to retain top talent by providing opportunities for employees to continue their career growth and development, even if there are no suitable opportunities within the organization.

I strongly believe employees should be encouraged to pursue their career aspirations and earning potential, even if that means leaving their current job. While it may be difficult to see valuable team members go, stifling their growth for the sake of company loyalty is not a sustainable strategy. It can create a toxic environment where employees feel undervalued and trapped, ultimately leading to decreased productivity and morale. Additionally, organizations that prioritize employee growth are more likely to attract and retain top talent, as employees feel empowered and invested in their career paths. It's partnership not control. Let them fly, and that means away, sometimes.

Optimal balance: depends on various factors ?? ??Nature & size of organization ?? ??Industry & market conditions ?? ??Employee career stage & aspirations ?? ??Talent management strategy & objectives ?? Benefits of a mix: ??Dynamic, diverse workforce ?? ??Adaptability to changing needs & opportunities ?? Potential negative consequences: ??????Too much or too little internal/external mobility ?? Key strategies for supporting career mobility: ??Clear & transparent policies & practices ?? ??Career planning ??? ??Mentoring ?? ??Feedback ?? ??Recognition & rewards ??

By promoting both internal and external career mobility, the organization can create a culture of continuous learning and development that benefits employees and the organization as a whole. Internal career mobility can help to retain top talent and build a pipeline of future leaders, while external career mobility can help to bring in new perspectives, skills, and experiences. Balancing internal and external career mobility can also help to ensure that the organization has the right mix of skills and expertise to remain competitive and innovative in a rapidly changing business environment.

To build upon this, I'd recommend niching down on what you want to do and the skills you need. Here's a 3-step framework that's useful for this clarity: 1/ What do you enjoy and why? 2/ What are you great at and why? 3/ Where is that combination most valued? Getting clear on this will go along way in helping you grow and navigate career opportunities.

Before pursuing career mobility, it is essential to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve and where you want to go in your career. Developing new skills and expanding your knowledge base is crucial for career mobility. Seek out opportunities for learning and development, whether it be through training programs, online courses, or job shadowing. Networking is an important part of career mobility. Make connections within your organization and industry to learn about new opportunities and gain insights into different career paths. Don't wait for opportunities to come to you; take the initiative to seek them out. Look for projects or assignments that can help you build new skills or gain experience in different areas.

Build your network within your company. Find areas of commonality with people (and leaders) on other teams. Look for slack channels to talk about interests outside of work or mixers. Get involved in employee resource groups. Look for (or start!) a book club. It's easy to only focus on growth within your team, but having relationships on different teams and orgs can help not only understand what other parts of the company are doing and other roles that exist, but provide you with a support network if you want to pursue a role on one of those teams.

Tips for promoting career mobility for employers ?? ?Define & communicate talent management strategy & objectives ?? ?Align with organizational vision & values ?? ?Create & foster a culture of learning, growth, & mobility ?? ?Provide options & opportunities for career mobility ?? ?Support & guide employees through career journey ??? ?Offer feedback, recognition, & rewards ?? ?Monitor & evaluate impact & outcomes of career mobility ?? ?Adjust policies & practices as needed ??

It’s always important to identify your high potential employees and create opportunities to nurture and grow their careers. You also have to be cognizant of the fact that, as market dynamics change, you may have to adjust their salaries and bonus to meet changing marketplace norms. I find that companies do a great job promoting a new position to an external hire, and often neglect to ensure internal equity is intact, (when and if that person is hired at a higher higher rate ) Also, work with your internal HR partners to create mentoring and upward mobility programs so employees know how valuable they are to the company, as you continue to invest in them so they will continue to make your organization their home.

Offering training programs, mentorship, and job shadowing can help employees develop new skills and gain experience in different areas of the organization. Providing career counseling and support can help employees identify their career goals and create a plan for achieving them. Promote internal job postings to encourage employees to apply for open positions within the organization. Encourage a culture that values career mobility and communicates the benefits of pursuing different career paths within the organization. Recognize and reward employees who take on new challenges and pursue career mobility. This can help promote a culture of growth and development.