What Do You Like About Your Current Position
You can share your opinion of your job when you interview for an internal position. Elaborate about what you like about the work culture, company values, or environment.
Answer: I love that the department is so collaborative. I really feel that Im part of a hard-working and supportive team. If I were to advance, Id want to expand on that environment of cooperation because I feel its our strength as a company.
Why Do You Deserve This Job
In other words: why havent you been promoted yet? If youre seeking a promotion, it probably means youve been working at the firm for several years. Clearly, you feel that its your time to shine, but the question remains: How come you are still in your current position?
It could be as simple as not having had the opportunity before. If you tried and failed, to achieve promotion in the past, show that you have improved and matured as an employee and person in the interim. Address any previous concerns about your ability to handle the new role, and point to your work performance ever since as proof that you are consistent and reliable.
Prepare A Powerful Story
During your internal interview, using stories helps show your personality and establish a warmer connection with your interviewer that goes beyond the information of your resume/CV. Use the STAR method to craft a beautiful story. This way, youll explain the situation you were in, the task you had to achieve, the action steps you took, and the results. Dont exaggerate when telling your story, and you must be honest and talk about what you learned through the experience.
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What Should You Ask During A Promotion Interview
An interview isnt a one-way street you should have some questions prepared as well. For one, your questions will express a deep interest in the position and intimate knowledge of what the position entails. Additionally, you want to learn as much about the promotion as you can, so that youre ready to tackle your new responsibilities right away.
While this isnt a comprehensive list, use it as a jumping-off point for developing pertinent questions to ask during your promotion interview.
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What are the biggest challenges that a person in this position will likely encounter?
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What are the most important things I can do to succeed in my first month on the job?
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How is performance evaluated for this position?
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What departments will I be collaborating with most often?
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What kind of opportunities do you offer for professional development?
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Why is this position available now?
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What did my successor do right to succeed in this position?
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What are the most important skills for a person to possess to succeed in this position?
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What would my transition into the new role look like?
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When can I expect to hear back from you?
Final Thoughts: Interview Questions For Internal Candidates
Interviewing internal candidates for your open jobs is a delicate process. If you dont handle with care, you could end up needing to hire for two roles instead of one. Make sure to create an even better candidate experience for your internal candidates, and also leverage these top interview tips for some basic information. Dont forget to track all of your candidates through your applicant tracking system, regardless of whether theyre internal or external.
Further reading
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Promotion Interview Questions And Sample Answers
Why do you want to change roles?
In the four years Ive worked at my current position, Ive grown so much and learned more about the industry. If promoted to this new role, I would be able to apply my new skills and knowledge to effectively lead our team. I would be able to make a greater contribution to the companys growth goals.
I would also be able to step into a leadership role where I could support and mentor others, which has always been a passion of mine.
What do you like most about your current role?
I have enjoyed working at a company that values teamwork above all else. My team has been phenomenal and Ive learned so much working with them. Streamlining processes and finding a groove where all of us can pursue our passions while keeping the companys vision at the forefront has been immensely rewarding.
What has been your greatest success story in your current role?
When I started here as a sales representative, I thought I was a natural salesman. I figured out that I still had a lot of learning to do when I failed to meet my sales quota during my first quarter.
However, by talking to my team members and supervisor, I was able to pinpoint my weak areas, and since my first quarter, Ive always exceeded sales quotas by at least 20%, which Im very proud of.
What are your salary requirements?
While I am flexible, I am looking to receive between $76,000 and $83,000 annually. This is based on research Ive done for similar positions in this area.
Get Promoted Somewhere Else
If you feel you gave strong answers to the promotion interview questions and deserve a higher position, but theres no pay rise or title change in sight, it might be time to start looking for a new job. Need a little help getting started? Make a Monster profile for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five versions of your resumeeach tailored to the types of jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. Additionally, you can get job alerts sent directly to your inbox to cut down on time spent looking through ads. You bring a lot to the tabledont get trapped in a job with no upward mobility.
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Tell Us What You Know About The Position You Are Aspiring
Here, the interviewer wants to know the knowledge you have on the post you aspire to. Talk about what is expected of a candidate in that position.
Sample Answer
When I am promoted to this post, there are several duties and responsibilities that I will be expected to conduct as a leader. These are the duties and responsibilities
i) Coaching, training, and mentoring my team
ii) Communicating the goals and targets that we are aiming at
iii) Acting as a communication channel between your team and the management.
iv) Leading team meetings
v) Setting objectives supposed to be met
vi) Motivating my team
vii) Monitoring progress of projects
viii) Managing resources
ix) Solving problems in my team
These would be my principal duties and responsibilities to perform as a leader.
Internal Candidate Interview Questions For Motivation
The key to uncovering motivations of your internal candidates is to treat this similar to a retention interview. Youll want to learn about why they want the new role? Are they unfulfilled currently? Do they want more responsibility? Is this to further their career path? Use these questions to find out what your internal candidates truly want from a new role in your company.
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Describe The Time Youve Spent In Our Company So Far
Try to talk positively about everything youve experienced, and learned. Praising them for an excellent training program, or internal policies and regulations, or for a great working environment, will definitely help to create the right atmosphere in this interview.
You should also focus on good things youve done for the company. Any achievements, any processes you helped them to improve, money you helped them to save . Try to show them the value you brought to their business. They should get an impression that it is good to have you onboard .
You can also talk about some mistakes you made, and how they helped you to become better in your work. All in all, they should get the feeling that something changed from the day you entered the companythat you grew both as a person and as an employee. And are ready for promotion now.
How Will You Manage Former Colleagues
Internal promotions, particularly within the same department, can potentially turn a co-worker into a manager. This can be a difficult transition for some people, and asking this open-ended question will provide insight into whether the transition will ruffle feathers, or conversely, lead to stronger manager-employee relations. Look for responses that demonstrate respect, a desire for teamwork and collaboration, and an indication that the candidate’s experience at the previous level will be beneficial, as he moves into a management role.
Wrap up your interview by asking internal candidates how they will feel if they dont get the promotion. This can provide an indication of whether the person is still committed to the organization, even without the potential for a new position.
References
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What Is A Promotion Interview
As the name suggests, a promotion interview, sometimes called an internal interview, involves answering questions in a bid to show your suitability for promotion. Although the setting is similar to a standard interview, the bar is set higher as you have to exceed the hiring teams expectations.
The questions youll receive are more advanced, and, since you already work at the organisation, it already knows most, if not all, of your strengths, weakness, and achievements.
Tips For After The Interview
Express gratitude. Dont take this too casually as an internal applicant. Even if youve thanked everyone in person and your interviewers are people you see around every day, you should still write a thank-you email to everyone who was involved in your interview process. Reiterate how interested you are in the position, how qualified you are, and your gratitude for being considered.
Dont burn any bridges. This applies regardless of if you do or dont get the promotion in the end. Maintain professionalism throughout the process. If youre about to supervise people you worked with , continue treating them with respect. Once you know the promotion is happening, wait for the company to announce it to your co-workers before you let everyone know that youre moving up.
On the flip side, if you dont get the promotion, try not to take it personally. If you become really negative and less productive after failing to get the promotion, youll certainly hurt your chances the next time promotion talks start up again. Or if you decide to start applying externally, your pouty response will hurt your odds at a good letter of recommendation.
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What Was Your Biggest Achievement Working Here
Employers ask this question to learn more about your accomplishments in your current role. Showing that you are goal-oriented and ambitious can indicate that you are ready for the next step in your career. Think about one of your greatest successes at work and how it benefited the company. Share how you look forward to reaching even more of your goals.
Answer:My biggest achievement while working here actually happened last month. We had an upset client who wanted to back out of our deal. I knew how important this client was to my manager, so I asked if I could meet with the client to smooth things over. During the meeting, I was able to resolve all the clients concerns and actually got them to sign on for another six months. This experience helped me realize I am ready for a client-facing position, which is why I applied for the promotion.
Whats My Immediate Focus
Depending on the position, there may e an unfinished project youre expected to lead. Understanding your responsibilities with regards to unfinished projects helps you get into the right mindset. After all, if youre expecting a relatively quiet few weeks after you get startedbut youre faced with something big and scary that youve never worked on beforeit can set the tone for the rest of your time in the position. Give yourself a head start by identifying what your immediate focus in the role will be.
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Which Part Of The Position Has The Steepest Learning Curve What Can I Do In Order To Get Up To Speed Quickly
For some jobs, learning the technology or the internal company procedures is the most challenging aspect of coming on board. For others, it is about understanding the human network. Any guidance on how to speed up the learning process and make you effective and productive quicker can give you a significant advantage.
If Selected For This Position What Would Your Leadership Style Be
Answer this promotion interview question by showing your manager what youre capable of as a leader. Demonstrate ways you plan to keep employees engaged, as well as your approach to rewarding and recognizing the good work they do. How will you help employees who are underperforming? This will help persuade your boss that youve got what it takes to be at the helm of a team and lead others.
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Questions To Ask At The End Of A Promotion Interview
- What are the biggest challenges that a person in this position will likely encounter?
- What are the most important things I can do to succeed in my first month on the job?
- How is performance evaluated for this position?
- What departments will I be collaborating with most often?
- Why is this position available now?
- What did my successor do right to succeed in this position?
- What are the most important skills for a person to possess to succeed in this position?
- What would my transition into the new role look like?
- When can I expect to hear back from you?
Questions About The Team
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If Given This Promotion What Do You Hope To Accomplish Within The Next Three To Six Months
This is a great question for you to respond to using your knowledge of the position and company expectations. Your interviewer may ask this question to see if you have personal goals within the new role that youâd like to accomplish. This answer will change depending on your industry, but try to be specific when responding to this question.
Example:âI hope to increase team morale, help them set actionable goals, reduce our monthly spending by half of what it is now and create new and innovative ideas that will produce excellent results.â
Prepare To Ask The Right Questions For Your Interviewer
After every interview, youll get the chance to ask your interviewer some promotion interview questions you might have. So, think and come up with at least three questions thatll make you stand out from other interviewees. This is a perfect chance to clarify any points of doubt. Make sure to ask questions relating to the job position and nothing outside it. Also, be sensitive about pointing out problems that need solving, as you wouldnt want to offend interviewers.
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What Are The Expectations About Managing Workflow
Virtually every company has enough work to keep everyone busy 24 hours a day, seven days a week. In practice, everyone gets to go home at the end of the day. How do you know when you are done for the day? What are the expectations around working on weekends and responding to emails outside the normal working hours?
Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Role
Does this smell like a trap? It can be. While you may be itching to leave your current role or department for reasons of your own, you want to put the focus on the opportunity at hand.
Sample answer:I’ve loved working in recruiting, but I also have a strong background in compensation, and I feel very strongly that now is a good time for me to make that move. I’ve helped to make my team one of the most successful in the company, and I believe that I have the skills, experience, and ideas to do the same for compensation.
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If We Were To Ask The People In Your Department To Describe You And Your Work Which Adjectives Would They Use
The interviewer wants to know how well you relate with your teammates and what kind of colleague they know you to be. So, before you answer these questions, think of the common words and feedback you get from your teammates and team leader. Make sure, to be honest in your response.
Example: My team members would describe me as hardworking and supportive, and they would describe my work as detail and result-oriented, brilliant and efficient.
