What's next
Explore a move inside your company
A curious conversation to learn what another team really does, and how moves actually happen where you work
Ask someone on a team you're curious about for half an hour, to learn what their work is like and how people actually move between teams at your company.
- 30 minutes
- You and one person
- Once
- Conversation
Why this can work
The internal jobs page rarely tells you how moves actually happen. Many companies run on unwritten norms about timing, telling your manager and who really decides, and a conversation with someone on the team you're curious about is the quickest way to learn them. You also find out whether you'd like the work before you've put anything on the line.
Read moreHow to explore an internal transfer
You’ll come away with a clear picture of one team's work and how a move there would actually happen.
- Choose a team and a person.
Pick a team whose work you've noticed and wondered about. Someone at your own level there is often easier to ask than their manager, and more candid.
- Ask for 30 minutes, framed as curiosity.
Say what caught your interest. You don't need to mention a move yet; wanting to understand their work is reason enough.
To: someone on a team you're curious aboutI've been curious about the work your team does on area or project, and I'd love to understand it better.
Would you have 30 minutes in the next couple of weeks to tell me what it's like? And if it's useful, I can tell you about my side of things too.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Learn what the work is really like.
What does a good week look like? What is the team measured on? What's hard right now, and what do they wish more people understood?
You“What is your team trying to get done this year, and what makes that harder than it looks?” - Ask how moves actually happen here.
How did people get onto the team? Who decides? When do people usually tell their current manager? The answers vary a lot between companies and are rarely written down.
You“How do people usually end up joining your team, and what would you tell someone who was curious about it?” - Say thank you, then decide your next step.
Thank them and note what you learned. If you're still interested, the next move is usually a conversation with your own manager, before anything formal.
Tip: Your manager hearing it from you first tends to matter more than anything else in an internal move.
Good times to repeat it: whenever a team's work catches your eyebefore applying for an internal rolewhen you want a change but not a new company
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
If you ever ask to join, a request built around what they need lands far better than one about what you want.
What might make this harder
In most places, curiosity about another team's work is normal.
Questions people ask
How do I move to a different team at my company?
Start by learning how moves actually work there: talk to someone on the team, and find out who decides and when people tell their manager. Then talk to your own manager before applying for anything formal.
Should I tell my manager I want an internal transfer?
Usually yes, and before anything formal. Check your company's internal jobs policy too, since some set exactly when your manager has to be told. Managers tend to take it much better from you than secondhand, especially when it's framed around your growth rather than your frustrations.
How do I ask someone on another team about their work?
Say what caught your interest and ask for 30 minutes to understand their work. Curiosity is reason enough, and offering to share your side makes it an even trade.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Plenty of companies say they love internal moves, and many mean it. But the official process is often the smallest part of how it actually works. Who really decides, when people tell their manager and how long you're expected to stay put are usually learned, not read. Someone who sits on the team you're curious about can tell you in half an hour what the policy page never will.
Look at it from every side. The team you're curious about wants people who understand their work and what they're trying to achieve. Your current manager wants not to be surprised. The company wants moves that don't leave a hole. None of that is against you; companies decide for companies, and internal moves are no exception. Once you understand those interests, you can ask in a way that works for everyone involved, which is usually the way that succeeds.
The conversation also answers a question people skip: do you want that team's work, or just a change from yours? Hearing what a normal week looks like, what they're measured on and what's hard tends to settle it quickly. Sometimes the answer is yes. Sometimes it turns out that what you want is available closer to home, in a different project or a better conversation with your own manager.
Hold off if you're mainly trying to get away from a person or a conflict. A move can look like a clean exit, but moving to escape tends to show, and the underlying problem often follows you. Deal with the conflict directly, or raise it with your manager or HR, and explore other teams once you're moving toward something rather than away.
Other simple things to consider
What to do next
More in What's next
A few minutes that compound
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.