In today’s saturated job market, one of the best opportunities for career growth often lies right within your current employer.
However, many professionals overlook the potential for advancement within their own organizations, and when internal opportunities do arise, they often find themselves unprepared for the process.
An internal interview provides a chance to demonstrate that you’re ready to move up within your current company, but acing the conversation can be challenging since the interviewers often know you and your work.
In this article, I explain what to expect during an internal interview, how to best prepare for the conversation, and mistakes to avoid. I also share the types of questions you can expect and the kinds of questions you should ask. By the end, you’ll feel well-prepared for your interview and confident in your internal career advancement. Let’s dive in.
What Is An Internal Interview?
An internal interview is a process in which you meet with your current employer to discuss your interest in and qualifications for a new position within the organization.
If the role is on another team or in an entirely different department, which is common in large tech companies, you can expect to meet with multiple colleagues and stakeholders across the organization.
Notably, some internal vacancies are only advertised to current employees, while others are open to both employees and external applicants. In other words, you may be competing against only your colleagues or with external candidates as well.
Understanding who is qualified to apply will influence how you prepare for your interview.
Are Internal Interviews More Difficult?
If you have a strong reputation at your current company and have been invited to apply for an opening, an internal interview can be quite advantageous.
However, one challenge of internal interviews is that interviewers may have preconceived notions about who you are and what you bring to the table, especially if the role is within the same department and under your current manager.
Are Internal Interviews More Relaxed?
Not necessarily. It depends on whether you’re interviewing with individuals you already know, how visible your previous work has been to the team, and how closely your skills match the new role. Internal interviews can actually feel more difficult if you’re vying for a higher-level role and need to overcome biased perceptions about your qualifications and abilities.
How To Prepare For An Internal Interview
Preparing for an internal job interview is a bit different from preparing for a traditional one. Here are a few tips to set you up for success:
1. Deeply understand the role (and why it’s available).
For starters, you want to gain a clear understanding as to why the role is open and the context surrounding the position:
- Was the position created specifically with you in mind—which can be common with internal roles—or was it pre-existing?
- Why did the previous person leave the role, and how did they perform during their tenure?
- What’s expected of the person who assumes this position, and will they be set up for success?
- What did the previous occupant do well, and what could they have done differently?
While you might not be able to answer all these questions, developing a clear understanding of the role will help you effectively prepare for conversations.
2. Check in with your sponsors.
As you learn more about the role, you’ll want to check in with your sponsors throughout your application and interview process.
In addition to confirming their support for you pursuing this role, they can help you better assess the internal landscape:
- Who will be your biggest advocates as you navigate this opportunity? (You’ll want to be sure to check in with these individuals.)
- What are their tips for increasing your likelihood of landing this opportunity?
- What roadblocks might hinder your chances of securing the position, and is there any “bad press” surrounding your candidacy?
3. Be ready to proactively address “bad press.”
If there’s any negative perception or “bad press” surrounding you, you’ll want to be ready to address it during the interview process.
Although it will depend on the specific concern, it’s often best to proactively address issues rather than letting them dominate the conversation.
Put simply, aim to be on the offensive rather than defensive when vying for an internal job opportunity.
4. Develop your interview talking points.
Once you understand the internal landscape, you’ll want to develop your interview talking points.
Pay special attention to highlighting initiatives and projects where your leadership and contributions may not have been fully recognized by colleagues. An internal interview is your chance to effectively market your contributions.
Important: While you might feel comfortable speaking both one-on-one and in group settings with your colleagues, being interviewed is different than sharing insights in a meeting, so please avoid going into the conversations unscripted or unrehearsed.
5. Practice for your big day.
Finally, practice sharing your interview responses.
Importantly, you’ll want to rehearse these aloud, not just in your head. This is particularly important if you’re a good writer yet struggle to verbally communicate your points.
Then, consider answering common internal interview questions, which I share below.
What To Wear To An Internal Interview
Your presentation, including your attire, matters when interviewing. It might sound obvious, but you’ll want to dress appropriately, just as you would for an external interview.
You want to avoid assuming you’re a shoo-in simply because you currently work at the organization or on the team.
This advice also applies to contract roles. Being a contractor doesn’t guarantee you a permanent position. In fact, competing for a full-time role as a contractor can be particularly challenging, as you’ll likely find yourself up against a large pool of talent consisting of both current and former contractors, along with external candidates.
Common Internal Interview Questions
Many of the questions you’ll encounter in an internal interview will be similar to those asked in a traditional interview.
However, the specific questions will depend on how well the interviewer knows you, your experience, your contributions, and your career successes.
Here are some common questions you might anticipate in an interview with your current employer:
- What motivated you to apply for this new role within the company?
- How has your past experience prepared you for this position?
- What achievement in your current role are you most proud of, and how does it relate to this position?
- Can you provide an example of a challenge you faced in your current role and how you overcame it?
- In what ways does this position align with your career goals?
Keep in mind that the specific questions you’re asked will depend on the interviewer’s familiarity with your background and accomplishments. Leading up to the interview, consider asking your recruiter or hiring manager about the topics you should prepare for so that you can effectively focus your preparation.
That said, try not to concentrate too much on preparing for specific questions, as this can lead to overemphasizing certain areas and may leave you feeling caught off guard when asked curveball questions. Instead, focus on crafting clear, memorable talking points and getting comfortable sharing them aloud in response to common interview questions and themes.
[Read: 10 Common Leadership Interview Questions (And How To Respond)]
What Questions To Ask At The End Of An Internal Interview
In addition to preparing to answer common interview questions, you’ll want to come equipped to ask some of your own.
The questions you ask at the end of an internal interview will likely be a bit different from those in a traditional job interview.
Here are a few example questions to serve as inspiration:
- Can you describe the team dynamics and how this role fits within the team?
- What are some of the biggest challenges facing the team, and how can I contribute to overcoming them?
- What are some common misconceptions about this role that I should be aware of?
- What will be the top 3 priorities for this role in the first 90 days, and how will success be measured?
- Looking back 6 months from now, what specific milestones would indicate that I have succeeded in this role?
Please feel free to customize these questions based on your specific situation and the role you are applying for.
What Questions To Ask A Hiring Manager At The End Of An Internal Interview
Beyond team dynamics and role expectations, you’ll also want to use this conversation to evaluate your potential manager and the team culture.
Consider questions such as:
- How would you describe your management style? Can you share a specific example of how you’ve developed someone who was ready to take on more responsibility?
- When you think about someone who truly thrives on your team, what differentiates them from those who just coast?
- How would you describe the team’s culture, and what’s currently the biggest opportunity for improvement?
Example: Internal Interview Thank You Email Template
Sending a thank you email after an interview is crucial. This simple act not only reinforces your interest in the position and demonstrates your communication skills in action but is also a powerful opportunity to stand out in the saturated job market.
Below is an example of an email you might send after an internal interview:
Subject Line: Interview re: [Position] Role at [Company]
Hello [Recipient’s Name],
Thank you for meeting with me to discuss the [Position] role with [Company].
As I shared during our conversation, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to [specific project or initiative discussed during the interview], and I am confident my experience in [relevant experience or skill] aligns well with the team’s needs.
I’m particularly confident that I’ll be able to hit the ground running on [specific project], given my X+ years of experience with [Company] and my deep understanding of [relevant internal knowledge].
I look forward to continuing to be a part of the team, hopefully in this elevated capacity!
Kind regards,
[Your Name]
Note: One of the advantages of an internal interview is your level of familiarity with the company, including its unique challenges and opportunities, so be sure to emphasize this understanding in your thank you email.
Final Internal Interview Tips
As you prepare for your internal interview, here are a few final tips to improve your likelihood of success:
- Treat it like an external interview: Although you might have a level of familiarity with the interviewers, take your preparation, hiring process, and conversations seriously. Consider preparing even more rigorously than you would for an external interview.
- Get specific with your examples: When selecting your talking points, don’t underestimate the value of walking interviewers through the stories, even if they were part of them. This is your opportunity to reframe the story, focusing on your contributions and successes.
- Don’t undersell yourself: This is your time to shine! Be sure to remind the interviewers of your unique value proposition (AKA your fabulousness), which includes the fact that you bring internal knowledge to the table.
On a final note, please don’t hesitate to reach out or schedule a consultation if you’d like the support of a coach while preparing for your internal interview. I’m here for you! You’ve got this!
