Waiting for the "perfect time" to switch teams? That moment rarely arrives.
𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺.
Whether it's exploring new tech, getting closer to customers, or joining a team with better growth opportunities.
When you see work that excites you, don't just admire from afar. Connect it to your development goals and speak to the business value.
𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁: "I've been looking at [team name]'s work on [specific project/challenge] and think my experience in [specific areas] could help them with [specific business need or goal]. This move would also align with my career development goals in [specific ways]. Can we explore what a transition might look like?"
𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀:
✔ Leads with business value and team needs
✔ Shows you understand their challenges
✔ Positions your skills as the solution
✔ Demonstrates strategic thinking about company priorities
✔ Opens dialogue instead of making demands
𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸: Your direct manager first. They'll know internal processes and can guide you through proper channels.
𝗜𝗳 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝘀: Discuss timing, transition plans, and how you'll wrap up current work. Be professional about the handoff.
𝗜𝗳 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗼: Ask about collaboration opportunities, cross-team projects, or what skills you'd need to develop first.
𝗣𝗿𝗼 𝘁𝗶𝗽: Build relationships with that team 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 making the ask. Understanding their priorities makes your pitch stronger. 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗽𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲.
Making the move request is leadership in action - you're taking ownership of your career path.
👍 Liked this post? Follow me on LinkedIn or here on Substack for the remaining posts in this series and more!
✅ Want to get even better at asking? I still have a limited number of seats left in the July 25 cohort of my course. Last cohort of this year! https://maven.com/chaitali-narla/outstanding-tech-career