Introduction
A job seeker asked, “How do I prepare for an interview when I’m an internal candidate?” I commend this job seeker for asking this question because internal candidates sometimes don’t prepare for their interview as they should.
Internal Candidate Advantages
As an internal job candidate, you have several advantages. You know about the company. The managers at the company know you. So, work these into your interview preparation strategy. Your efforts will be evident during your interview and increase your chances of scoring that coveted offer.
Strategy
When planning for success, you should have a strategy. These are the steps that you take to achieve your goal. So, don’t just jump into doing stuff. Plan your work and work your plan.
Strategy Action Steps
- Study the job announcement
- Every job candidate, regardless of the type of job, should know what the job requires. The best way to do that is to study the job announcement. Learn what the job’s duties will be.
- Also, learn what knowledge, skills, and abilities are required for on-the-job success.
- Talk to the person who held the job previously
- Since you already work for the company, you have access to people who can give you important information. Ask the person who previously held the position what is needed for success.
- Then ask them what they liked most about the job. Also, ask them what they wish they could change about the job and how they perform the duties.
- Speak with the manager to whom the position reports
- Speaking to the manager of the position because they set the performance expectations.
- Assess your qualifications
- Now, you’ve gathered your information. So, you’re ready to compare your qualifications to the position’s requirements. If you need to brush up on some skills, use online learning platforms to jump start your learning.
- Udemy University, Alison Courses, Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, etc., all provide great low-cost online learning content.
- Practice Interviews
- Once you know what the job requires, you need to be able to prove that you have what it takes. The most-effective way to prove your strength in any skills area is to describe examples of you displaying that skill.
- Practice, or mock interviews help to improve your interview performance, build your confidence, and to recall examples that you may have forgotten about.
- Follow up
- One of the biggest mistakes that I often see internal job candidates make is failing to follow up after the interview. This gives the interviewer(s) the impression that you feel entitled to the job. Prove them wrong.
- Follow up within twenty-four hours of your interview to say “Thank You.”
Conclusion
As an internal job candidate, should never assume that you are a shoe-in for a position just because you already work for the company. You should take advantage of the people and information that you have access to by learning as much as you can about your target job. Develop a well thought-out strategy to hone your interview performance. Remember to stay focused on your goal. When you remain focused each seemingly small step moves you closer to success. So, plan your work and work your plan all the way to achieving your goal.
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As always, Career Search Success to You! Go Get Your New Job!
