Internal Job Interview Advice?

[norabird]

I know there are lots of places to find interview advice online, but having read those, any other tips? This is for a position up from my current one, more responsibility, but I know the responsibilities of the job very well. I know I need to brush up to be able to address every aspect of the job and my familiarity with it, but any specific advice on positioning myself as ready for the shift? I think I may have a bit of a perception problem--being seen as 'not ready'. Plan to discuss everything I've already been doing that may be under the radar, but tone on presenting that may be hard.

[Trede]

Not sure what field you are in or the level you are trying to move up to, but my first thought in reading your question was to advise you to think beyond checking the boxes on your ability to perform tasks.  What else does the position require, or better yet, *need* that you can offer?  What insights might you bring, given your experiences and observations?  Do you have a big picture perspective, are you able to see problems you could solve and improve the position from your new role?  Sort of not only "I can do this" but "and I could do it better because..."

[patchyfacialhair]

Have you asked your supervisor to coach you? It seems silly, but both my wife and I have simply reached out to those above us when it came time to interview for the next step.

For me, I was able to prepare months in advance with my supervisor, so when the interview came, it was just another day in the office.

[AZDude]

Who are you interviewing with? If its your current supervisor or someone you have worked with, then bring up the times you improved something/averted disaster. If its someone entirely new to you, then it will be tougher, but use the same examples.

Use lots of examples in your interview of how you accomplished something and how that translates to your new role. Be confident in your ability to do the new job(because if you do not think you can do it, why would someone else?). Do not jump into how you can improve things too much, since this might be a role where the interviewer already oversees the whole group, and if (s)he thinks you are impugning his/her ability to lead, then your resume will find its way into the trash bin. Talk about how you improved things from your current role, rather than what you will do in your new one.

[norabird]

I'm interviewing with HR and with my current dept head--not my direct manager, but I do work under them already. The main selling point I have is my familiarity with exactly what I'm taking over--already in the loop and involved on several levels for most of the key projects and well known to a main external contact. I don't have an academic background in our field but I will do my best to sell my existing developments of contacts despite that and my existing familiarity with key players/topics/annual events. I think I'll try asking HR directly about what perception there might be of my 'readyness' and then addressing specific concerns head-on...I know things are falling through the cracks now in the transition (due to stuff above my level) and think I can sell myself as being able to stop that immediately if I'm assigned the job. Have some recent examples in hand.