I'm sneaking out for a job interview down the hallway

If you’re sick of your job but nothing better is being advertised, consider looking within your current company.

Internal mobility tends to be a good option when the jobs market is tight, and LinkedIn data shows there’s currently an average of three applicants for every available role. Hiring is slowing down globally and here in Australia;?the hiring rate is down 35% compared with the same time last year. While some industries are still experiencing hiring growth, others are slow and casual jobseekers may be better served putting their hands up for an internal position.

Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh tells LinkedIn he was offered an internal role within the Australian Taxation Office two years ago and while it was "hard yakka", it was also rewarding.

"Be open to a move that isn’t quite what you are after or is outside your specialisation," he says.

"You will feel inadequate and suffer from pangs of imposter syndrome, but remember that you bring a different lens, corporate memory and different stakeholder relationships to the table.

"An internal move is easier than moving to a new organisation in a new role."

For recent Top Companies honoree 亚马逊 , internal mobility is an integral part of the workforce. Pritho Saxena tells LinkedIn, "We believe that you can do and be anything at Amazon and offer an incredible level of job mobility."

"It doesn’t matter where you start within the business, you can create your own journey and have multiple career changes within the business in different divisions or at one of our 30 locations we operate in around the world.

"That might be moving from HR into operations, or marketing to internal communications; or moving from Amazon Web Services (AWS) into our retail or devices business, or from Sydney to London."

I asked career coaches and HR professionals in Australia and New Zealand about the steps required to make a sideways move while keeping your current boss and team happy.

The first step, says Sandy Hutchison , is to make sure you research your company's internal transfer policies and see what opportunities are available.

"So many people never look at their own internal job boards," she says.

Next, it's time to let your intentions be known. Sarah Felice says it should not be intimidating as, “The smartest companies today are working hard to retain their talent."

“You can be surprised what options can be presented to you if you ask — I've seen it happen many times.”

If the thought of broaching the topic with your current boss worries you, Sally Miller says there are alternate options.

"You could consider speaking with HR or a mentor within the company first. They can provide guidance on how to approach the situation and may also have information about the hiring process for the new role.

"Transparency is key and communicating openly."

So you've checked the internal jobs board and nothing is coming up. It's time to network, says Heidi Winney, Fellow-CDAA, RPCDP Winney.

"As with all job search, reaching out to others is as important internally as it is externally. Exploring options by talking to others in a different area of the business, doing their research about roles of interest, and evaluating whether the move to a different area is the best one is an excellent thing to do.

"And, it's okay not to have role clarity, that's all part of networking and asking questions, seeing what the gaps are if someone wants to make a move to a different role or roles. All this helps in making the best move at a given time."If a role comes up, Lynne Power has this to say: "Something I believe is influential to the outcome is the pre interview contact with the hiring manager."

"I have heard hiring managers comment favorably on an applicant they have already spoken to on phone call.?You would need to think carefully what you might ask."

In the interview, Christopher Bishop says there are some questions you should be ready to answer, including:

- What do you see as the biggest challenges of the role, and how do you plan to address them.

- How do you plan to contribute to the department and the company as a whole if selected for the role.

No matter which way you go, Maria Mughal ?? says, "Operate with integrity, it can be hard to navigate, especially if you don't get the role, you will still have to work with your current team and manager."

And if you do get the role? Jamie Lord writes, "You often don’t find your dream job, you co-create it and you can only do this if you are clear on your own values first."

Do you have more tips for getting a job internally? Share your thoughts and experiences below and see who made this year’s Top Companies list in?Australia?and in?New Zealand.

Nearly half of Australians aged 25 have a bachelor's degree, but tradies and post-graduates are happier and earn more money, according to research. Chief Operating Manager Andrew James tells LinkedIn, he has a trade, degree and a masters, and is sitting on the fence.

"When I was a school leaver a trade was the best vocation for me and I don’t regret taking that path," he says. "I use my trade knowledge most days. However since obtaining university qualifications it has opened many career opportunities that would not have transpired with out them."