Why you should consider internal candidates
Filling open positions with internal candidates can offer these benefits:
- Flexible control over transitions: Existing employees can transfer into new roles when it’s best for the company. They may start learning a new role part-time while supporting their existing department until you hire a replacement. Consider setting boundaries and expectations by providing a date when the employee will fully transition.
- Convenience when scheduling interviews: It may be easier to schedule interviews with existing employees, since they can inform their manager of the application. Candidates separating from their company may prefer to withhold this information until finalizing their decision, leading to potential scheduling conflicts.
- Pre-vetted candidates: Internal candidates have likely passed background checks or other company requirements. You likely also understand their teamwork skills, work ethic and reliability.
- Reduced onboarding time: Employees who already know your mission and values, are familiar with your overall processes and industry and understand your customers and products typically take less time to onboard than external hires.
How do internal candidate interview questions differ from external ones?
When comparing what to ask internal versus external candidates, some interview questions may overlap. For example, you may still discuss skills, future goals and experience. However, you likely know the internal candidate is a good addition to your business, so you can focus on questions about the qualifications that differ from their current responsibilities.
For instance, if an internal candidate wants to move into a supervisory role, you could focus on their leadership skills and how they might handle management situations. If a team member wants to move to a completely different department, you might inquire about their transferable skills and how they align with that role.
Types of questions for an internal interview
Interviews for internal candidates help determine the motivation for changing positions and how well an applicant can handle a new role’s responsibilities. Consider asking questions about:
- Their current position and why they’re interested in a different role
- Their understanding of the new role, including their relevant qualifications
- How long they’ve been with the company, what they like and potential changes
- Expectations regarding the transition, including transparency with current supervisors
12 questions for an internal interview
These questions can help you gauge why an internal candidate is interested in a new position, their perception of your company and how they view themselves contributing in the new role.
1. Why are you interested in this role?
Instead of asking why they’re interested in you as an employer, consider asking why the role appeals to them. For example, you could ask why they’d prefer this role, team or department over their current position.
This question helps you understand whether the candidate is seeking a promotion or new skills to better their career.
2. If you could change one thing about your current position, what would it be?
Asking this question helps evaluate their ability to think logically about team dynamics and business policies. They might also provide constructive criticism that could be helpful to your business. For example, they may suggest their existing team has work silos caused by infrequent communication. This feedback may also help you adjust meeting frequency when filling that role.
3. I heard you were involved in [project or effort]. Can you tell me about an obstacle you faced and how you overcame it?
Identifying a team member’s effort specifically helps them feel appreciated. Such acknowledgment may be a positive part of the interview process, regardless of whether you select this team member.
Answers to this question also help you gauge a candidate’s self-evaluation skills, as you can check whether their response aligns with manager feedback or reporting metrics. It also helps you understand how well they reflect on their performance and if they’re motivated to improve their results.
4. Have you worked with anyone on this team before, and if so, how was it?
This question assesses how well a candidate might integrate with the new team. Their response might also demonstrate their overall collaboration and communication skills.
5. What challenges might you face in the new role, and how would you address them?
Candidates who are realistic regarding the challenges involved in changing positions may be proactive about problem-solving, communication and training. This question also helps you understand how someone approaches challenges and whether they can develop solutions.
6. How would your current team describe you and your performance?
Self-awareness helps employees interact well with others. With this question, you can learn about their professional relationships with colleagues. If you’ve already spoken with their team members, you might compare this feedback with the candidate’s response.
7. If you aren’t selected for this position, will it affect your current role?
While an internal candidate is familiar with your company, other candidates may have more applicable skill sets for the role. By asking this question, you can evaluate their commitment to the company. It also helps you anticipate what to expect if you choose another person for the role.
8. What’s one thing you enjoy about your current role that you hope to carry into this position?
This question provides additional insight about why the candidate enjoys working for your company. For example, if someone’s favorite part of work is helping customers, but they’re applying for a role that isn’t client-facing, you may want to discuss whether it’s the right position for them.
9. What are your transferable skills for this new position?
Answers to this question can highlight what an applicant views as their strengths and how they apply to the new role. It also helps you understand whether a candidate researched the new position and understands what might be required to succeed in it. For example, a manufacturing worker may suggest they’re well-suited for the engineering role because they have experience with computer-aided design (CAD) software.
10. What are your career aspirations for the future, and where do you anticipate yourself being in 5 years?
This type of question helps you understand whether an internal candidate wants to grow with your company. Understanding candidate aspirations can help evaluate whether they might be happy growing in this new position or department.
11. How would you approach learning new responsibilities or systems required for this role?
Internal candidates may still need to learn new processes, tools or software for a role. This question helps you assess their willingness to engage in training, how independently they learn and whether they’ll take initiative when facing unfamiliar tasks.
12. What ideas do you have for improving collaboration between your current team and the one you’re applying for?
This question highlights how an employee might help connect teams and improve communication across departments. It also shows whether they think beyond individual roles and understand how to bring value to the broader organization. For example, a copywriter may apply for an editor role with hopes of refining client content briefs with clear project guidelines.
Tips for interviewing internal candidates
You can use these tips to have a successful interview:
- Research the candidate. You might contact their current supervisor and consider their previous performance reviews. Ensure any steps taken align with your company’s human resources (HR) and hiring policies.
- Create a list of questions. Prepare questions in advance to ensure you cover all relevant topics. Research can help you tailor interview questions to that person’s experience.
- Follow up. Use the same follow-up processes you would for external candidates. Let internal applicants know your decision timeline and when you’ve decided on a role, even if you don’t select them.
