Internal interviews are an excellent way for employers to screen already-employed members of their company for possible promotions. In many cases, an employee scheduled for an internal interview might be under the impression that he or she has already gotten the promotion and that the interview is more of a formality. You should never have this attitude because it can cause you to provide poor answers and cost you the promotion.
Here’s what you need to know before an internal interview.
Know Your Reputation Prior to Walking Into the Room
One of the first things you must prepare prior to an internal interview is knowledge of what your reputation is. The top benefit of interviewing for a job as an outsider is that the company does not know the reputation of the candidate. Employees interviewing for promotions within their company are known by interviewers and human resources professionals. This means that their reputation will be known by all those taking part in the interview.
Inform Your Current Boss of the Interview Beforehand
Make sure you tell your current boss that you will be interviewing for another job within the company. Telling your boss before they find out from someone else will make it easier if you are offered the new job. Even though you would be staying with the company, you do not want to burn bridges while still employed. This can only hurt your standing with the company and with former superiors.
Conduct Deep Research About the Job
Just because you are interviewing for a new job within your current company, it does not mean you should not perform research into the job. You still need to know what a typical day is like, how your responsibilities will change, what the challenges of the job will be and what the performance expectations are in the new job. Research is still necessary for an internal interview because it will help you ace the interview and perform well in front of co-workers and other department heads.
Never Badmouth a Current Boss
Make it a point to say nice things about your current boss and co-workers. This cannot be stressed enough, especially since you will be staying with the company whether or not you are offered the new job. The interviewer might ask you a question such as “What would you change about your current position” or “What is the most difficult part of your current job?” Make sure you never say that it is your superior or a co-worker.
Determine the Interview Tone
Prior to the internal interview, contact the interviewer to find out what the tone of the interview will be. Even though you might know the person conducting the interview, it could be awkward to sit through the interview with that particular person. Determine if the interview will be formal or informal ahead of time. This can help you better prepare your answers.
The internal interview is important for companies when filling open jobs. Candidates interviewing for open jobs at their current employer need to know what to expect going into such an interview. Any of the items outlined in this post could come into play during your next internal interview.