5 Ways to Find a New Role at Your Company

As the first quarter of 2025 nears an end, many of the people who resolved to find a new job at the beginning of the year are still looking. Desperately.

Over the last two months, the pace of hiring has slowed, with only 143,000 new roles added in January, down from 307,000 in December and 261,000 in November. At the same time, layoffs have picked up: Job cuts at US companies rose 28% in January, to nearly 50,000. That’s leading people to stay in their current positions, whether they want to or not. Quit rates are hovering around 2%, more than a percentage point less than we saw during the “Great Resignation.”

But experts say there’s one area job seekers may be overlooking: their own companies. Korn Ferry Advisory principal Frances Weir says people often think the only way to move to a new role is through a promotion. They fail to recognize the opportunities that may be available to them internally. “While hiring may appear to be slowing on the surface, it usually just means that opportunities have gone further underground,” she says.

With most companies struggling to fill vacant roles, and many employees feeling stuck in their current ones, experts say that the job market is experiencing a rare moment in which the needs of both sides align. Seeking a new role within the same company is not without its risks, however. Nor is it a given that being an insider gives you an advantage—it may actually work against you. Here are five tips from our experts for when you’re trying to make an internal move.

Think about it from the company’s point of view.

Some companies are great at offering opportunities internally. Others frown upon it, sometimes with unspoken rules barring poaching between units or subsidiaries, says Korn Ferry senior consultant Stefanie Wohlgemuth. “Expressing a desire to change roles, especially if you haven’t been with the company long, could be interpreted as a lack of commitment,” she notes. Wohlgemuth suggests researching whether colleagues have moved internally before, and in what circumstances, and how managers and leaders reacted. “It’s important to understand if your company is supportive of internal moves or not,” she says.

Don’t bomb the internal job board.

Making an internal move is a more deliberate process than applying for a job outside the company. It’s about identifying something else the company does that aligns with your passions and interests, then networking with people already working in that area. It’s not about volume, says Ryan Frechette, an associate principal with Korn Ferry Advance. In fact, applying for every internal job posting that vaguely fits your experience and background is a bright red flag and could put your current role at risk. “Narrow your focus to the one or two areas you are set on transitioning to before starting to reach out to people internally,” says Frechette.

Understand the company’s needs.

If your company is laying off marketing staff and replacing them with AI, it doesn’t matter how passionate you are about getting into marketing; it’s not going to happen. The best way to make an internal move is to be aware of the business needs that may relate to your interests and skills, says Wohlgemuth. Studying internal job boards, reading analyst and news reports, and networking with HR and recruiters is a good way to find clues about the company’s areas of focus and talent needs.

Be a star in your current role.

The tendency when looking for a new job is to slack off or neglect your current role. But that could end up being your undoing if you’re trying to make an internal move, say experts. Managers and leaders aren’t interested in hiring underperformers, even internal ones, and may think you are being pawned off on them. If anything, experts advise going above and beyond in your current role by taking on more responsibility, exceeding performance goals, and showing how your work ethic and achievements can be applied to the new role.

Network, volunteer, upskill.

Even in a remote-work world, being internal is an advantage. Use it. Talk to managers and HR leaders about your career-development goals and how best to reach them, says Weir. One great way to get exposure to other roles and teams—and get noticed by other managers—is to volunteer for cross-functional assignments or obtain a certification or credential in a new skill related to the area you want to get into. “Establish relationships and keep your brand out there so you’re top of mind when those in the field or department you want to get into are looking,” says Weir. 

Learn more about Korn Ferry’s career development capabilities from Korn Ferry Advance. 

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