In today’s hiring climate, internal mobility isn’t just a nice-to-have — it’s a strategic imperative. As economic uncertainty pushes organizations to do more with less, activating talent from within has become one of the most cost-effective, high-impact ways to fill critical roles. And what is the most effective way to scale that effort? Launching a well-planned internal career site.

LinkedIn Learning’s 2024 Workplace Learning Report shows that only 33% of organizations have a formal internal mobility program, and just 1 in 5 employees feel confident they can grow within their current organization. Meanwhile, backfilling a single role can cost between 40% and 200% of that employee’s salary (Gallup), making talent retention more essential than ever.

Ten steps to launching an internal career site 

Organizations must think beyond a basic job board to truly empower internal movement. A high-performing internal career site requires careful planning, strategic alignment, and long-term ownership. 

Phase 1: Lay the strategic groundwork

1. Align on your goals
Clarify what success looks like. Are you aiming to reduce attrition? Redeploy talent faster? Increase internal engagement scores? Set specific objectives to guide the build of your internal career site and make outcomes measurable.

2. Secure cross-functional buy-in
Your internal mobility strategy should be bigger than talent acquisition. Get human resources, learning and development, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and leadership aligned early on regarding the business value of internal movement and their roles in making it happen.

3. Audit your current internal hiring experience
Take a close look at the existing employee journey. Where does it break down? What messages or processes discourage employees from applying internally? Use this insight to shape a better experience.

Phase 2: Build a foundation for your internal career site

4. Define your internal mobility brand
Your internal career site should have its own identity — one that aligns with your EVP and connects to your employer brand. Decide how it looks, feels, and communicates the opportunity to grow from within.

5. Inventory internal data and tech systems
Where does your internal job data live? How will it flow into the site? Take stock of your ATS, CRM, HRIS, and any integrations that could streamline or stall the employee experience.

6. Map out internal user journeys
Every employee is different; therefore, you need to design pathways for active job seekers, curious browsers, and high-potential talent who may need a nudge. Tailor the experience to each.

Phase 3: Prep for launch and long-term adoption

7. Plan your rollout strategy
Adoption doesn’t happen by accident. Create an internal communications plan that includes teasers, launch-day buzz, and post-launch follow-up. Speak to employees and managers about the strategy, the internal career site, and its value to the organization.

8. Create manager enablement tools
Equip people leaders to advocate for internal mobility. Provide them with FAQs, talking points, and training on how to guide employees through internal moves. Ensure people managers are on board with internal mobility as an organization's growth strategy. 

9. Line up your post-launch support
Who owns the internal career site once it’s live? Assign ongoing roles for content updates, technical upkeep, and engagement tracking.

10. Define your success metrics
Track KPIs like internal applicants per role, time-to-fill for internal hires, and overall mobility rate. Make it easy to report on progress and prove value.

Activate your internal talent

Launching an internal career site is more than a recruitment tech lift; it’s a culture shift. These ten steps help ensure you build a foundation for meaningful mobility, long-term retention, and real business impact.

Need help getting started? Speak to an internal career site expert today!