Got an interview for role much more senior to what I do now - any tips?

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Found out last month my organisation would be merging with another and in six months we have to re-apply for our jobs. I've been there a year, it was never going to be a 'forever job' so it prompted me to look for something else sooner than I would have otherwise.

I put an application in for a much more senior role (Assistant Director) in a different organisation/same field, it was quite speedy, a knee jerk reaction to the news really - shocked when they invited me for interview! Its on Friday morning.

The application process was just uploading my CV and answering 3 questions (with 300 word count cap). I've no idea if this is a first round of interviews - I haven't been asked to prepare a presentation or anything.

My nerves are through the roof - I keep reminding myself I wouldn't have been shortlisted if I didn't have at least some shot at it, huge imposter syndrome has come over me. I'm 32 and this would be a £19k pay increase for me. I know nerves can be a good thing, but I always thought interviewees for a senior role like this would be able to hide their nerves - this definitely won't be me! I will full on be flushed, sweating and probably quivery-voiced!

Any tips on interviewing for a role much senior to your own? I'm very much trying to tell myself I'm capable of doing this role and hoping that by Friday I'll walk in with a confident head on me! I'm going over lots of examples to use, including being strategic and leading a team (even though as far as I can tell from the JD this won't involve line management of any one at present).

Off to purchase some Bach rescue remedy....

Firstly, you are totally capable

Can you cross reference current job with the one you're going for?

How does past experience relate to the job you're going for?

Not sure of the industry but STAR examples are always a winner.

I second the advice to use the STAR technique if it's a competency based interview, but bookend it with firstly explaining that you understand exactly what the competency is (eg, communication - written and verbal with different approaches in each depending on the audience) then that you understand how this will be important if successful in this role.

Ask if they have s list of competencies for you to study and relate answers to.

Good luck!!

They wouldn't waste their time interviewing you if they didn't already think you were perfectly capable of doing the job, based on your CV. Remember that, prepare your examples, be very knowledgeable about the organisation, all the things I'm sure you know, and you'll be fine.

They want you to do well, they are not looking for reasons to reject you. The only time a panel look for reasons to reject someone is when they have more than one excellent candidate and they are both appointable. Otherwise, they will be hoping for and looking for positives.

Thanks very much for replies! Its a third sector role, which is what I'm currently in so I think a good chunk of my examples have relevance for this role. I'm imagining a mix between competency-based and being aware of developments/headlines in the field, I'm going to seek out opportunities (hopefully - if I don't crack!) to weave in that I'm actually up to date with the current landscape, but also trying to be ready for them to spring a 'what do you know about....' question on me.

I think you should never really apply for a job that is not going to teach you something and help you grow. So I wouldn't worry if there are some areas that you're not 100% on, that's where the job will help you improve your skills.

I just got a more senior role (as an external candidate) and went through a bunch of interviews for different jobs before getting this one.

I developed competency based answers based on the type of questions I thought they'd ask but I also wrote out a long answer to the following questions
Why would I do the job?
Why am I the best candidate?
How would I do the job?
What challenges would I face and how would I overcome them?

And read this to myself a few times before the interview to really seal it in.

Must have worked as I got an offer on the 3rd one I applied for!

Best of luck

You’ve GOT to find some way of controlling your nerves in the interview, probably by convincing yourself in advance that you deserve to be there, and picturing yourself in the job, doing a good job.

As a regular interviewer, it makes a big impact if the candidate is plainly nervous - I think what if they are like that every time they are in a challenging situation, eg with an external stakeholder or senior member of staff? I want someone who can appear confident even when they are not feeling confident.

Second, have a think about what parts of the job you would rock (presumably the parts which got you the interview), and specifically what areas would be the step up for you. Then how will you support yourself to crack those areas too - a training course, mentor, support from your line manager, something else?

So you need to think about hat they will perceive as your weaknesses (is that subject knowledge, lack of experience at the more senior level, something else?), own that, and think about what your message to them will be about why those weaknesses are manageable or what your plans would in, if you got the job, around how you are going to develop and improve in those areas.

What have the recruiters seen in you that they want?

Agree with PP that you should definitely rehearse an answer to “why do you want this job?” - it’s sort of obvious but I don’t think people always clearly articulate why.

I think that's a bit unfair Wigeon, lots of people have nerves in interviews but are more than competent on the job.

OP do use the STAR technique and try to pre-empt the type of questions you'll be asked. Get someone to run through it with you so you're saying the answers out loud.

Best of luck!

Nothing to lose; every interview is a chance to get better at interviews, if nothing else. Chin up & tits out as they say.

Sakura7 - the OP did say that she would likely “full on be flushed, sweating and probably quivery-voiced!” - appreciate Age was probably exaggerating a bit, but for a senior position, I’d be worried if the interviewee found an interview so stressful that they were a nervous wreck - they’re bound to be in more stressful situations in the job itself and you need someone who can deal with those kinds of situations. So it doesn’t bode well if they are a quivering wreck before they’ve even got the job!

Good luck OP - they definitely think you’ve got a good chance otherwise they wouldn’t have shortlisted you, so go for it!

Thanks to everyone for all their suggestions! It went surprisingly WELL - its the first phase, they had people still to see after me, so I haven't heard back yet. Its definitely the least nervous I've been in an interview, I switched on my 'you can do this role' button and went for it.

It was relaxed, two people on the panel, a few competency Qs but the rest more like a conversation. I much prefer interviews that flow this way! Obviously I'm now desperate to know if I'm to be interviewed again, they said they're aiming to have it wrapped up this side of Xmas. Whatever happens, its definitely good practice and, if it doesn't work out this time, I'll be straight back out there in the new year putting myself forward for roles of this level.

Thanks for the update! Well done, sounds like you went in believing you could do it, which is a great position to start from. Let us know if you get the job!

I have my fingers crossed for you.

I have an interview on Tuesday for a similar sounding role, what questions did they ask around competency? I haven’t been interviewed for over 10 year so it’s all very new to me.

Good luck, hope you get good news x

Pleased to report I'm at 3rd round stage. This will happen in the New Year - not ideal but better than being told I wasn't progressing any further. My nerves are diminishing the more interviews I do!

DailyMailDontStealMyThread - how did you get on? Sorry I didn't see your message beforehand, the competency Qs they asked were about conflict management and an example of time/s I had to convince colleagues to do something they didn't necessarily want to.