Internal Mobility Program Step by Step
Welcome to the second episode of the “Internal Mobility Behind the Scenes” interview. As we already know how it all started, now it’s time to read more about the whole IM process. Get to know what this initiative can give you, and how to be best prepared for the interviews with our Internal Mobility team.
D.M.: How can we, as candidates for the Internal Mobility Program, best prepare for the meeting with you? What’s worth remembering to help out the company?
Kinga: With no doubt, Kamila and I will need information about the previous projects in which the Codeter participated. We also need to know what went wrong – sometimes the employee’s performance is more than OK, yet there might be some issues with funding for the startup or simply the project comes to an end and there is nothing we can do about it.
What else? The tech stack we should oscillate around in our search, as well as the person’s chosen direction of growth (solutions type, industry, etc.).
We also want to know what the Codeter enjoyed doing in their previous project, what they’d like to change, as well as what might have been missing so far… All these interviews are a perfect occasion to tell us more about the expectations. Every information that we receive holds a high level of importance and helps us find the most suitable job option faster, after all.
Kamila: Without details and specifically shown expectations, we have a smaller chance of success. To be honest, I’m a person who keeps repeating the word “context” about a hundred times per week, because making a change is not possible without context and embedding each employee in the company’s reality.
It’s worth remembering that no one should be afraid of talking about their interests, talents, and what they do after work. If you have been working with the X technology at Codete, but you’re doing a project in a different one in your free time – let us know. That’s a clear signal for us that you can be introduced to more than one project.
D.M. Tell us more about individual stages of this process from the employees’ point of view. Codeter comes to you, and what’s next…?
Kamila: A lot depends on the reason the person comes to us. Do they want to change their career path? Are they in-between projects? Are they interested in the Mentorship Program? Without a doubt, “sitting on a bench” is not easy because the change from a project to the lack of it often happens overnight, but the contract between the Codeter and the company says clearly that it’s only a temporary situation. Within Internal Mobility we work also as some kind of “coaches” – we support our employees in improving their soft skills, organize interview simulations in English, and organize many other activities that help them be ready for the next adventure!
Kinga: Strategically, taking into account the size of data we manage on a daily basis, it is crucial to keep it all in our system, so we can track the progress of each Codeter’s case. That’s where the context, mentioned by Kamila before, is so crucial. This is why we update each other regularly via our Attendance & Reporting tool – just to avoid repeating asking the same questions, and for the information to be accessible to every single Codeter involved in the project search.
D.M.: What’s the Internal Mobility process like behind the scenes? Could you reveal a few fun facts for us?
Kinga: For me, such “flavor” is definitely a “Codeters warm-up” that we call “warming the employees up on the frying pan” [laughter]. It is to keep constantly in touch with the clients, get to know what’s going on with them, and build long-lasting relations. What’s interesting is that a lot of talks about Internal Mobility take place… in the kitchen at our office in Cracow! Just as the best parties move to the kitchen from the living room, Internal Mobility interviews often come from behind the desks to the kitchen, too. Sometimes we meet there by accident, other times I drag the employees there on purpose. In this casual, formality-free atmosphere, the talking is way more productive and easier than anywhere else.
Kamila: Exactly! If I take a break during work, and the kitchen door is closed, I bet that there’s Kinga inside, and she’s working on the new candidate. In these cases, I know that I can come back for my desired coffee no earlier than in an hour. [laughter]
Kinga: Unfortunately, some of the employees who are “on the bench” are there long enough to get used to it somehow, and start feeling too comfortable. This situation is clearly visible if, for example, during our weekly call the Codeter welcomes us on the webcam wearing a robe or even without a t-shirt. We need to cope with such a situation too, of course, but to be honest – this kind of behavior shows us the employee’s approach to their situation and our efforts. Luckily, those cases are rare. ;) But you know, while a white shirt is not required, a t-shirt will be totally OK – write it in bold. [laughter]
Kamila: I remember a couple of times when I started the call, I felt a very nervous and serious atmosphere. It seems to me that a lot of people who enter “the bench” feel that it is more the end than a new beginning for them. I'm not surprised by the stress, it's perfectly normal, but these people expect to be given a termination rather than an opportunity. That’s why I keep emphasizing that Internal Mobility is definitely there to try, look for new options, find new solutions, not say “goodbye”. This is the foundation!
Kinga: I also remember a situation when we managed to find a new project for the Codeter, and then they came to us and said: “OK, so now I can tell you everything, and we can be honest with each other without formalities, because you’re no longer above me in the company’s hierarchy”. That’s when I figured out that many people see Internal Mobility in a very official way. This insight convinced me that we should do our best to be as open to the employees as possible.
D.M.: What are the questions that you hear the most often from the program participants?
Kinga & Kamila: How long will the process of searching for the new project take! [laughter]
Kamila: Yeah, that’s exactly the most often repeated question, and it’s quite difficult for us to find an answer sometimes. But there’s also that one: “How will I account for working hours while “sitting on the bench?”, or “To whom should I report my working hours and tasks?”.
You can find the other parts of the interview here:
- Internal Mobility Behind the Scenes #1
- Internal Mobility Behind the Scenes #3 [coming soon!]
