You have applied for an internal role or promotion within your current employer and have been selected for interview. Congratulations! However, most organisations will require you to also go through the full interview process. Quite often you may also be compared to external candidates, outside your organisation. Therefore, it is crucial that you treat an internal interview with just as much importance as you would an external interview.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do:
- Tell your current boss that you have applied for another position. They may even have some tips that will help you.
- Speak with internal people in your organisation who are in a similar roles and ask for their advice.
- Do your research and find out how people perceive you within your company. If necessary, then aim to reshape that perception.
- If you know the hiring manager well then ask them in advance how they will approach the interview.
- Remember, you may be being compared to external candidates.
Don’t:
- Take it for granted that you are a certainty for the job. Even if you feel you are the most qualified.
- Approach the interview as a career development chat. It is a job interview, treat it like the competitive process that it is.
- Get defensive about any mistakes you may have made in the past. It is best to be honest and explain what you have learned from this and how that might help them.
How To Prepare
Firstly, know why you are interested in the role, because you will be asked this. Even although they may know you well, you may still be asked some standard interview questions, such as, “Tell me about yourself?”. Always prepare for this.
Then get a copy of the full job description from HR or the Talent team. Highlight the 5 main things they are looking for. You will often find this under “key or essential requirements”. Then prepare for the behavioural based interview questions you will be asked. Write down 5 stories where you can demonstrate that you have experience in the key requirements of the role. Ideally think back over the last 5 to 7 years in your career.
Then, when you are asked an interview question such as “Tell me about a time you managed a major project and what your role in this was?” Your answer should be related to one of your pre-prepared stories. To help you refine your stories try using the CARL framework. This stands for Challenge or Context | Action | Result | Learning
CHALLENGE or CONTEXT– give a brief overview of your story, relating this to the question asked.
ACTION – Talk about what you did. Remember to say “I” and not “we’ They are interviewing you, not your team.
RESULT – Tell them the result or outcome. Did you improve something, or save money or streamline or consolidate a process?
LEARNING – if appropriate, briefly mention any learnings that you personally took away from this.
Additional Questions an Internal Applicant May be Asked
Why do you want this position?
The interview panel want to know your motivation behind applying for the role. When you answer this question, be sure to point out any of the ways that your motivation matches the company’s values or vision.
Example Answer: During my time in my current position, I have been able to improve my skills in a variety of capacities. Now, I feel that I am ready to use my experience in this new role. This will allow me to better support the marketing team by mentoring and leading them. One of the company’s values is excellence, and I believe that I could produce even more excellent work by using my skills in this position.
Why should we consider you for this position?
This is another opportunity to talk about the skills that set you apart. If you are competing against external applicants, then also talk about your extensive company knowledge. Speak confidently, because the interviewers want to see that you are sure of your ability to do the job.
Example Answer: I should be considered for this position because I have been successfully taking on more responsibility in my current role and have led my team to success in a number of projects. These projects have changed the way our department operates and have increased our bottom line. I believe that my skills and leadership experience will allow me to be just as successful in this role, helping the company to achieve greater success.
Can you tell me what you know about the position you are being considered for?
Interviewers ask this question to find out if you know what you’re getting into. Your answer will also show how invested you are in this position and how much you want the role. Applicants who have put in the time to do their research are probably more invested than those who haven’t. Try to find out as much as possible, but if you don’t know something, don’t try to make it up. Your interviewers know the right answer, and you could look foolish if you do make something up. Instead, explain what you do know and then ask questions about the rest.
Example Answer: I know that this position handles a lot of client and employee needs and complaints, which requires a great deal of problem-solving and professionalism. I also know that this role relies heavily on teamwork within the department and requires working extra hours, sometimes on the weekends. This is all something I am very happy to do.
How will you react if you don’t get this position?
The interview panel wants to know how you will respond to rejection and if you are planning on staying with the company if you are not offered the job. The tricky part about applying for a different job within the same company is that it can get awkward if you don’t get the position. Even if you do plan on leaving if unsuccessful, don’t tell them this!
Example Answer: While I will be disappointed if I don’t get this position, I do understand that you may determine that someone else is a better fit for this role. If that happens, then I will learn from my experience. I will remain in my current role where I will continue to be fully committed to my team and the organisation as a whole.
Practice Makes Perfect
Keep all of your answers to 2 minutes or less. Ensure you sound relaxed and authentic, not like you are reading a script! Practice all your answers, video yourself and also time yourself.
Check out your own body language when you are speaking. Are you someone who constantly puts their hand through their hair, someone who always looks down or do you just look very tense!
All of these little things add up. Being aware of your body language and how you come across can be just as important as your actual answers.
Finally
Never tell the interview panel that you are nervous. Keep in mind that they may be nervous too!
If you struggle with how to prepare for a job interview, then this is where an interview coaching session can really help you. I often find that it is the small things that can be tweaked to encourage success.
Contact me at angela@mindfulcareers.com.au and I can help you.
