Author Topic: Job transition - should I apply for a job via internal transfer?  (Read 943 times)

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Job transition - should I apply for a job via internal transfer?
« on: December 17, 2020, 02:23:47 PM »
Hi all,

I work for one of the large banks and my role (QA in the InfoSec space) was impacted in the past year - initially I was under the impression that it was just a role name change but as I was speaking to my former manager about an opening he informed me of on his team, he told me that my middle range point (for salary) actually decreased about $10k in the midst of that role change (this was not disclosed to me)...!!!! I was already making over the midpoint but as far as raises and promotions that's not a good thing.

So the position that opened up in my former manager's group is a backfill position for more of a 'support analyst' role for a large enterprise app that I'm familiar with and have tested (though it's not the primary app I test). If I were to apply for this role and get it, I'd be transitioning from a QA role over to more of a business/support analyst role. We confirmed over the phone too that the midpoint for this role is actually higher than my current role as well as what my midpoint was prior to the decrease.

One of the cons to this is that while I like helping people, etc it also tires me out (I'm naturally introverted). Also, my former manager alluded to my "day being full" and working outside normal hours at times. He managed me when I was doing QA for him on his team, and in that role (and currently) there is quite a bit of 'downtime' - it's more more ebb and flow, so when it rains it pours and we have to crank out testing things on a pretty aggressive schedule. In short, it sounds like it'll be a lot "busier" which can be a good thing but also a bad thing I think (burnout). I asked why the prior person left and my former manager told me that he just found a better opportunity at another institution. I may reach out to the former person to ask though (that's not weird is it? haha). At a higher level, the fact that my MRP decreased amidst the role change seems like a red flag to me. And the company has been going through various rounds of layoffs (you can probably guess which institution it is by now lol). But in terms of opportunities, this I think would put me in a better position resume/job/skill growth wise AND I'd get to work for my former manager who I much prefer to the current manager (who has provided very little direction and who I question when it comes to emotional stability - there have often been times where she projects onto myself and others if things don't go right or someone may have overlooked something, even small, with her).

So far, I'm thinking this is kind of a no-brainer to apply for particularly based on the financials. But what do you guys think? NOTE: I've been passively looking for positions outside the company for a few months now and had a screener for one position (they turned me down), and have submitted my resume to one or two other positions. I feel a bit 'pigeonholed' when it comes to the kind of work I'm doing now and how it's very single-track and limited. I feel like transferring to my former team and working in a different role (interfacing with more people and having to broaden my skillset) will open things up a bit more for future opportunities. I particularly fear the question "so what do you do in your current position?" when the answer can be easily simplified down to "I test an application" lol... I'm sure I could spruce that up but honestly that's all it feels like.
« Last Edit: December 17, 2020, 04:40:04 PM by jeromedawg »

jeromedawg

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5174
  • Age: 2019
  • Location: Orange County, CA
Re: Job transition - should I apply for a job via internal transfer?
« Reply #1 on: December 18, 2020, 10:49:21 AM »
I'm likely going to go for it at this point. I briefly chatted with the person that was in the role prior and he left on good terms overall. He had no issues with the role outside of just looking for something "more challenging" (which I think means faster paced). If he wasn't referred for the opportunity that he accepted elsewhere, he wouldn't have left, so that's a good sign. But he enjoyed the team (which I concur with) and didn't leave because of any interpersonal issues. I reached out to the more senior lead person in the group who would be my counterpart, to ask if she could chat about it a bit more too, and she seemed enthusiastic that I reached out and even stated that she "hopes I'm interested in the position" - I know words are cheap but that gives me a little more than a glimmer of hope haha. Anyway, not going to count on it but hopefully this can work out. I don't have much confidence or trust in my current manager. Although, the way things work around here there's always the chance that I could get re-org'ed and either get placed back on her team or elsewhere. So the way I look at this, more objectively speaking, is that it would be advancement both A) financially and B) professionally (resume/skill set/etc)

I think the concerns about getting tired, etc are unwarranted given the pros and are worth the 'trade-off' but even from what I've initially heard I don't think this position would "burn me out." Especially given that I'm in the general arena and know how my manager and most team members operate - the app I'd be moving over too there just aren't as many "fires" to put out as the app I'm currently on and I think people are generally less demanding on the other side. As far as my concerns about the company as a whole, I feel like that's a moot point because at some point if they let me go then it is what it is but at least I'll have moved into a position where I would hopefully have broadened my skillset by then (rather than feeling like I've plateaued or regressed in knowledge/skills/etc)

Just chatted with my former manager again and he's implying that there *could* be complications with the process because the CTO is wanting to move towards a co-location model and get rid of WFH... he was insistent on this prior to COVID and is *still* pushing the whole thing with a gung-ho attitude it seems ("once this COVID thing blows over I'm making all of you work from office locations") even though the industry as a whole (especially IT/dev/cyber) seems to have opened up to remote work. Anyway, there are some core locations HR posted for the job req and my area is not one of them. Even at that, the area/locale where most of the team is based isn't even one of the listed core locations for the position! Makes very little sense to me... but there might be a 'waiver'/exception they can make due to the circumstances.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2020, 11:06:49 AM by jeromedawg »