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Preparing for a Promotion Interview

If you are up for a promotion, get ready for the promotion interview. In this type of interview, you already work at an organization and are applying for a new position with more responsibility.  As an internal candidate, you may find the promotional interview more in-depth and challenging because the interviewers have higher expectations from a known entity.  

Prepare for the Promotion Interview by following these tips: 

  1. Speak with your supervisor
    Before applying, have a private conversation with your manager. This will ensure that your manager learns about your plans directly from you. It will also allow you to get an assessment from your supervisor regarding your contributions to the department. This information will be helpful in the interview.  
  1. Do the Research 
    Research every aspect of the position. As an internal applicant, you have access to in-depth information that goes far beyond the job description. You can utilize the human resources department, talk with members of the hiring committee about expectations for the role, and you can speak with the person leaving the role. This person will have deep insight into the responsibilities, challenges, and expectations. 
  1. Articulate Your Skill Set 
    Position yourself as the best candidate for the job by highlighting your skillset and experience that closely align with the role. Be ready to expound on each of your skills that match the job description. Use examples and provide numbers from your current role for support. To make sure the interviewers are all on the same page, introduce yourself as if you were an unknown.  This will make certain your interviewers have a clear understanding of who you are and the benefits of promoting you to this new role. 
  1. Reflect on Your Growth
    As an internal candidate, be prepared to show how you have grown professionally while you have been employed at the organization.  Also, should it come up during the interview, address any mistakes you may have made or challenges you’ve encountered in your current position. With any mistakes, take responsibility, demonstrate a sense of accountability, and then express what you learned from the situation. 
  1. Expect tough questions. Prepare Your Answers in Advance. 
    • Why do you want to change roles? 
    • What differentiates you from other candidates? 
    • What are your goals for the first 30 days in this role? 

While being an internal candidate might give you a leg up, don’t make any assumptions. Instead, prepare to be held to an even higher standard than an outside applicant. Be the most prepared and well-researched candidate. Go into the promotion interview ready to show the interviewers that you are the best choice for the role. 

Kathy Lin - Tal HealthcareWritten by:
Kathy Lin, Marketing Communications Manager
Kathy writes content for Tal Healthcare, a healthcare career website. She has a background in recruiting, sales, and teaching.  She holds a BA in Biology from the University of Vermont.  When she isn’t writing you can find her outside running, skiing or biking.

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