No Excuses for not preparing as an Internal Candidate
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Competition in the workforce is fierce, as internal associates we often forget that when interviewing for a promotion or trying to gain access to a different business function that we are in fact competing against all the other internal associates who are trying to do the same. I have found most internal candidates are not preparing for an interview in the same manner as if they were an external candidate. Those who are best prepared for the interview will get the job and have greater success. Below are some things to remember and put in practice as you prepare.
• Build your Resume: When applying to the position it is critical that you update your resume with the most current information about your position. To simply list the company, title and a one or two line description is not good enough. The content should show a brief description of your current role with bullet points below outlining your success and achievements. Where possible be sure include any relevant experience that would be outlined the positions job description you are applying to. Within those bullets you need to start the phrases with action verbs such as Implemented, Created, Developed, Reduced, Increased. You should not start with Was Responsible For. Both the internal recruiters and the hiring managers want to see your successes.
• Prepare and Plan: As an internal candidate speak to peers that are currently in the department that you are interviewing for to get a realistic job preview beyond what the you believe the position to be or how the job description is written. This will enable you to communicate your experience as it relates to the real job.
• Communicate: The average tenure for an associate with a company prior to being promoted is three years. During that time associates forget how to interview and accurately answer questions. During the interview associates will often provide vague answers to questions because as an employee of the company it is assumed that the manager will fill in the blanks of there experience because the manager works there to. This is a tremendous mistake because most companies work in silos. Even with the best collaborative efforts in place, various business units will often develop there own terminology and acronyms. You should treat this interview the same as if you were meeting the manager for the first time. Provide detailed examples of your success and your current and prior experience as though the manager has no idea of who you are and what you do.
• Ask for the Job: It is imperative that you ask for Job. Until an offer is made you as a candidate are not the decision maker. The manager and the company are. Even during the course of the interview if you have determined that the position may not be where you want your career to go you still need to convey energy and excitement during the process to ensure an offer which will then give you the opportunity to make the decision that is best for you. At the end of the interview thank the manager for there time and tell them that you are very interested and excited about the opportunity and look forward to hearing back. This seems simple… but I see it everyday. The person who doesn’t do this is the person standing at the water cooler telling his or her fellow co- works “ I don’t understand how Bill or Sally got that position over me because I have far more experience then they do”. It’s simple during the interview Bill and Sally conveyed their excitement about the opportunity…did you?
These all seem like common sense but again, I am surprised everyday by the number of individuals who do not take the time to completely prepare for the internal interview. If you want the job, be the candidate that is better prepared.
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