8 min read

Paving Career Paths: Skill Assessments for Internal Mobility

Internal mobility is about using skill assessments to identify and develop talent already within your organisation, allowing employees to move laterally or climb the ladder based on evidence, not assumptions. With tools like RefHub, businesses can fill roles faster, support career growth, and build a stronger, more agile workforce.

You already have the talent. The question is—are you putting it to good use?

That is the heart of internal mobility. Instead of looking outside to fill roles, you focus on the people already inside your organisation. With the right tools in place—like skill assessments—you can help team members grow, switch lanes, or climb the ladder. And at the same time, you keep your workforce strong, stable, and motivated.

In Australia, where recruitment challenges are as common as flies at a barbecue, making smart internal moves is not just a nice-to-have—it is smart business. RefHub gives you the tools to match people with the right opportunities, without the guesswork.

So, if you are looking to sort out succession plans, fill skill gaps, or help someone move from the warehouse to the office—or from accounts to analysis—you are in the right place.

Why Internal Mobility Matters

Let us start with the basics: internal mobility is when employees shift to new roles inside the same organisation. These moves can be lateral (same level, different job) or vertical (promotion).

But why does it matter so much?

It boosts morale. Employees feel seen and supported.
It saves time and money. Hiring externally can be slow and expensive.
It preserves knowledge. Staff who stay bring history, context, and relationships.
It plugs holes quickly. Internal hires usually need less ramp-up time.

In short, internal mobility supports career progression while keeping your team engaged and your hiring efforts focused.

Skill Assessments: Your Internal Compass

Internal mobility only works if you know what skills people have—and what they lack. That is where skill assessments step in.

These tools give you hard data on soft skills and job-specific strengths. Whether someone is looking to move into a leadership role or switch from customer service to digital marketing, skill assessments help you check if they are ready—or if training is needed first.

You are not just guessing anymore. You are making decisions based on evidence.

RefHub’s skill assessments give you a clear, structured view of employee capabilities. You can browse assessment types and use cases at RefHub Assessments.

What You Can Measure—and Why It Matters

Not all jobs need the same things. A good assessment should look at a mix of skills based on the job’s actual task requirements. Here are a few skill types worth checking:

Technical Skills – Can they use specific tools, systems, or methods?
Soft Skills – How do they handle feedback, solve problems, or work in teams?
Leadership Skills – Are they able to guide others, plan projects, or manage conflict
Learning Agility – Are they quick to pick up new processes or ideas?

By measuring these, you get a full picture. Someone might not have ten years of experience, but if they show strong ability and potential, they might be ready for the move.

Skill Mapping: Know Who Can Do What

Once you assess individual skills, the next step is skill mapping. This is like creating a people-powered road map.

Think of your workforce as a city. Skill maps show you where the bridges, highways, and traffic jams are.

When you map skills across your team, you can:

Spot hidden talent
See where training is needed
Plan for upcoming retirements or resignations
Support talent redeployment—moving people to where they are needed mos

With a strong skill map, you can prepare for changes without scrambling. You stop playing catch-up and start leading the charge.

When to Use Skill Assessments for Internal Moves

Skill assessments are not just for hiring. Here is when they come in handy inside your organisation:

Before promotions – Are they ready to lead?
During restructures – Who fits the new roles best?
In development plans – What should they learn next
For succession planning – Who can step up when someone steps down?
When staff ask for career changes – Are they ready to switch tracks?

Every move should be a win-win. That only happens if the employee and the role are a match.

Building a Culture of Growth

Helping people move internally is not just about ticking boxes. It is about showing that your organisation values growth.

That means:

Talking regularly about development goals
Making skill assessments a normal part of progression
Giving people clear paths to follow
Removing the fear of asking for a new challenge

Think of it like gardening. You do not just water the flowers once and hope for the best. You check the soil, trim the dead leaves, and give each plant what it needs. Same goes for people.

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

Even with the best tools, things can go wrong. Watch out for these traps:

Assuming tenure equals readiness – Time served is not the same as being skilled.
Ignoring soft skills – A great technician might be a poor manager.
Overpromoting – Moving someone up too fast can set them (and their team) up to fail.
Lack of transparency – If staff do not know how to move up or across, they stop trying.

Assessments help avoid these mistakes by offering a neutral, structured way to judge readiness.

RefHub’s Role in Internal Mobility

RefHub makes it easy to track, assess, and plan for internal moves.

Whether you are managing a team of ten or a workforce of ten thousand, our tools give you control and clarity. With skill-based data, you can stop guessing who should move where—and start making clear decisions that work for everyone.

Browse your options, read about assessment types, and get started here: RefHub Assessments

Ready to Build Career Paths with Confidence?

Your people are already capable of more than you might think. Help them find the right opportunities—and help your organisation keep the best talent where it belongs.

Visit RefHub Assessments to start building stronger skill maps, smarter internal moves, and more confident career paths today.