Internal promotion interviews

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Hi folks

I've never had to formally interview for an internal promotion, I've always worked at smaller companies (until my current job) where pay rises and promotions occurred more in line with current business needs rather than an actual chain of progression.

The next step in my current role (2 years in) is to apply for an upcoming senior position. The interview will be with my current head of department and a head of another unconnected department to eliminate bias.

I've never interviewed for a role where I already know the interviewer and I think the idea is making me more nervous than a regular interview. Would love to hear your experiences with this, and any tips you have/any great interview tips in general or questions to ask.

Thanks!

Treat It as if it were external. I missed a promotion cos when asked for examples of a time when ....... I said something like remember when we worked on the Perkins project? That was a time. Rather than doing the whole STAR or SPAR format. Basically I was too casual.

Thanks, great tip!

Pretend there’s someone else sitting just out of sight who doesn’t know anything about you. Answer as if you’re explaining to that person.

Just have to treat it like any other, sell yourself as if they don’t know you.

I always find it much more nerve wracking when you know those on the panel.

I agree, somehow selling yourself in an interview feels easier when it's a stranger

Sell yourself as much as you would do in an external interview. Treat the interviewers as if they don't know you at all!

It is scary being interviewed by people you know., but don't sabotage yourself by presuming you know things. They will have the same score sheet for you as they will for everyone else so you need to tick boxes with examples.

I definitely agree with the advice to treat it as though it was external. People don't always realise all the things you have been doing.

I definitely found it more nerve wracking, thats quite human I am sure. And I expect those interviewing you will understand that.

It’s definitely best to imagine you’re when interviewed by a stranger.
this last week I was interviewed for promotion by my manager, but also 2 other people who have not interviewed me before and therefore do not know all about my previous experiences. So in my answers I responded as if I was external really, repeated things that I know the manager especially already knew.
They asked for examples so although I did refer to the department I currently work in for examples, I also referred to other work environments I’ve been in and didn’t just rely on the fact that they know me and they know what I do on a day to day basis in my role.

I find it more nerve wracking when it’s interviewers you know - but just remember you’ve got to that point because you deserve to be there and just be yourself.