Got a big day on Friday, been working on a contract basis since returning to the UK but being interviewed for a permanent position that I really need to get. Four of us up for it and (as an 'internal' candidate) I've got a fair chance providing I don't mess up. Never been very happy being an internal candidate before so if anyone has any tips or killer questions to ask them I'd be grateful.
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If asked about any negative spin it into a positive e.g. tell me one weakness you have - I am a bit of a perfectionist (if relevant) and try not to be as corny as I have just been.
As an internal candidate if you are being interviewed by people you know, don't assume they know stuff about you, a) they might not know certain things and b) you need to say them within the confines of the interview for them to be taken into consideration - consider yourself and external candidate almost.
Finally a friend of mine was asked at the end of an interview if there was anything else she would like to share so she sang a song - she got the job (although this is probably a 1 in a million shot so only use if it is going totally Pete Tony).
Do those all right and you'll be getting there!
* I didn't really of course, I was my usual helpful self.
eg:
Tell me something about yourself?
Why did you leave your last job?
What major challenges and problems did you face in your last job? How did you handle them?
What do you know about us (and specifically the job itself)?
What was your biggest career accomplishment/failure?
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Develop some answers that sound coherent and that you can back up with some facts, preferably choose examples that demonstrate that you are a team player.
Good luck...
Don't use the "we" word. Tell the interviewer what part you were responsible for and highlight where you took responsibility/initiative
Use solid examples of what you've done (particularly that they might be aware of) in terms of what the interviewers will understand. So if you're interviewed by someone from HR don't blind them with technical details that they can't understand (most of them barely understand HR). So stick with things like I did Z and it now only takes half as long to do this job, which has saved us X £/per year.
On the tell me one negative about yourself mentioned by Maglore, I always try and bring up something that is resolved e.g. I can struggle with juggling dozens of priorities at once, but I have recently done a time management course and use Outlook's task manager and I've really seen that improve (give exmples).
Being a dirty MeganFoxalike will probably help, too.
Good Luck
Back to the thread.....do what most people seem to do .....lie....oops, you cant as its an internal job...seriously though...good luck.
I think you may have been a recruiter BFR...
Open a forum with that question (what do you think of my candidacy)so they can voice there views of you and also allow you to overcome anything they are not sure of....
Also have EVIDENCE of things you have achieved as in a prject that was successfully completed and what money that made the company.... people you have trained, measurable performance information... stuff they can make a finacial decision on....
and then at the end look them in the eye and say "if you give me this opportunity..... I will not let you down.." and let it sit...
Good luck....
Ditto and I'd add;
- wear a new white shirt (buy one)
- a conservative suit and matching tie
- ensure your shoes are highly polished
- in short, make sure they know you have made a special effort despite being the internal candidate
- be very honest and be prepared to make heartfelt statements (avoid the tendency to try and give them the answer the think they might want to hear - it never sounds sincere)
- if there's something you think they would want to hear (the party line/market spiel) but you don't necessarily agree, then say "I suspect you'd like to hear me say....." just to let them know that you understand the issue but then qualify your own opinion.
- don't be shy about telling them how much you want the job at the end, what you could bring to it and that they won't regret there decision if you are successful. Apart from the fact that this is your chance to tell them, it also leaves it unsaid that you would be disappointed if you don't get it as the internal candidate.
Good luck!
Give them a copy of the presentation, neatly bound in a folder with your CV.
Anyway, best of luck!
But I think the most important is to be confident without being arofant - sometimes a hard balance but def the way forwards.
I think the best bit of advice I was given over the years was at the end of an interview, similar to valleyman above, you should say to the interviewers something like "Is there anything I havent covered or do you have any reservations that I couldnt do the job?". Turns it around on them, shows you've got confidence and then it gives you a clue to how they are thinking. If they open up a little, maybe suggesting a few things that might be bugging them about you, then you get another chance to put their mind at rest and chuck in a few more examples.
Since I got told that one, 3 out of the 4 interviewers have taken the bate and I've been able to give further information and I've been offered 4 jobs out of 4... before that, I was something like a 2 in 50 success rate (going back as far as 16 for my job interview for the Co-op then my first proper job out of Uni!)
good luck anyway, rather you than me.
That did make me laugh Large but I'm not quite at that stage yet. I haven't slept a wink for 48 hours now though so should be nice & fresh for Friday. Not.
I'm liking the turning it back on to them type question to come clean about any doubts about me though - good work people!
I was going to post last night but I was a bit pished when I got in because....I GOT THE JOB!!!
BIG, BIG thanks to everyone on here who took the trouble to post or send me their gems, tips and clever questions - wasn't the greatest interview I've ever done, due to importance of the situation I think, but I was still by far the best on the day (apparently) so some of it must have sunk in. The look on their faces when I asked them if they had any reservations about my abilities that I hadn't addressed well enough during the interview was priceless - don't think they'd heard that before.
Wey hey! The sun is out, I've got a 'proper' job, Charlton won't lose this weekend and I'm off on hol's next week too so this is turning out to be a blinding week all round.
Beers on you at the pre-season..................