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I’ve talked extensively about interviews on this podcast – and it’s one of my absolute favorite topics to coach my clients on. Several of my interview podcasts made it on my recent “Best of” podcast on episode #200, so it seems you listeners really want this content.

This week I’m talking about how to prepare for the interview as an internal candidate; next week I’m covering the different types of job interviews and how to prepare for each.

Let’s start with what you should do, if possible, before you even submit your application for an internal position. Ideally, you want to have an honest conversation with someone who can advise you as to whether you will be a serious candidate.

Your boss, someone in HR, or the person who would become your boss are all viable options, and there may be others. The important thing here is to get clear direction to apply or not to apply.

The downside of being an internal candidate is that sometimes you will get a courtesy interview even though they have no intention of moving forward with you – this will only cause hard feelings if you think you are a serious candidate.

So they’ve said you would be a great candidate – or perhaps one of the people I mentioned before actually encourages you to apply. Now what?

-Make sure your application materials are top-notch – if you think that, because you are an internal candidate, you automatically have a distinct advantage, you might cut corners. DON’T DO THIS.

-Follow the same courtesies as external candidates should – send thank you notes, keep in touch throughout the process, respond quickly to any requests for additional information.

-Be aware that the decision-makers will be heavily focused on your work record and recommendations from other employers they trust.

So now you are in the interview. Here are strategies for acing an internal interview:

1.    “Tell me about yourself.”

You HAVE to approach this question differently as an internal candidate.

-If you know the person or people who are interviewing you, you don’t have to state your name – they already know it.

-If you don’t know the person or at least one of the people who are interviewing you, include your name and current job title. You might also want to include your direct supervisor’s name and the department you work in…or other job titles you’ve held with the company.

-Tell them things they probably don’t already know about you.

-You are an insider – use that to your advantage. Use company lingo and assume your interviewers may have at least some knowledge of the projects you’ve worked on, company initiatives you’ve had a role in, and other things going on in the company.

2.    Behavioral questions.

-You want to prepare for these as you would an external candidate – just be extra careful to give credit where credit is due and don’t exaggerate your role in projects.

3.    Questions to ask the interviewer.

-Here, too, use your internal company knowledge to ask well-thought-out questions. You CANNOT be canned or generic with your questions as an internal candidate!

This quote is from Indeed.com: “When applying within a company where you already work, you should be prepared to talk about what motivated your change, particularly if the move would not be a promotion. The person questioning you will be aware that you are already familiar with the ins and outs of the company or they may already be aware of interdepartmental differences. Be prepared to answer in-depth questions.”

Here are some internal candidate-specific questions you should be prepared to answer:

• Why did you decide to apply for a new position with the company?
• What experience within our company has prepared you to assume a new role?
• What would you do to help your replacement should you move on to this position?
• Should you not be selected for this role, how would it affect your current job?
• What is your proudest accomplishment with the company and how does it demonstrate your readiness for this new role?
• Tell me about a time with the company where you received a special commendation for your work.
• What is the first change you would make to the way this position is currently being carried out, based on your experience at the company?

·     Have you spoken about the position with your current manager? If so, what did they say?

Prepare yourself for criticism.

Here’s a quote from Deakinco.com:

No employee has a perfect employment record, so be prepared for some of your mistakes to come to light during the interview. Perhaps you lost a client or you billed the wrong person. Maybe you missed a deadline or you posted something you shouldn’t have on social media.

These things happen, so take ownership of your mistakes and use them to talk about what you’ve learned since joining the company. Explain what happened, what went wrong, and how you can avoid making the same mistake again.

Whatever you do, don’t become defensive and start blaming others.

Are you in the wrong job that chips away at you every day? The CareerSpring document and coaching program will help you find a job that uses your zone of genius, recognizes your value, and pays you what you’re worth.

If you’re ready to take your job search to the next level by working with a highly experienced professional with a track record of client success, schedule a complimentary consult to learn more: https://calendly.com/lesaedwards/zoom-meetings2