The lateral and upward movement of the current workforce is just one of the ways organisations are attempting to tackle the tight jobs market amid widespread candidate shortages.
In the absence of new talent, businesses are engaging with their teams. They are using learning, development and promotion strategies to accommodate employee interest; choosing to recruit internally rather than relying on new hires from external candidates.
“Have you got any questions for me?”
“Have you got any questions for me?” is a commonly asked question to candidates at the end of interviews. It’s normally an opportunity to learn about the culture and workings of an unfamiliar business. However, if you are a candidate in the running for an internal job, you will already have experienced this business firsthand. To ask irrelevant questions you should already know the answers to will seem lazy, and waste the opportunity to express your enthusiasm for this new internal job.
Even if you know your current employer inside and out, it’s important to think of at least 3 questions to demonstrate your interest and desire to excel in this new role.
Here are some examples of some questions you may like to ask your interviewer at the close of your internal interview.
Internal interview questions.
Questions about the new department.
Being specific about your interest in the new department will allow you to extend the information you already have about the company. It’ll also give you an insight into the contribution that department makes to the organisation’s goals and objectives.
- What challenges/threats/opportunities are you experiencing in your department?
- What is the direction of this department? How do you anticipate it’ll change in the next 5 years?
- What do you enjoy about working for this department?
Questions about your performance.
Every department manager has different metrics of success. What defines a great performance in your last department or job role may not carry over into the new one. These questions will help you plan your approach to the new job and give you some idea about how your contribution will be assessed.
- If I were to be successful, what would you like to see me accomplish in the next 6 months?
- What metrics or goals will my performance be judged against?
- What does the review or appraisal process look like in this department, and how often can I expect a formal review?
Questions about your new team.
Your team and the people you work with have a massive impact on your time at work and how much you enjoy your job. These questions will give you an idea about the dynamics within the team and how you may fit in.
- Can you tell me a little about the team structure and who I’ll be working with?
- What are the team’s biggest strengths/challenges?
- Do you expect the team to expand again in the next 6 months?
Questions about the next steps and the transition period.
If you are successful, it would be useful to know how the transition from one department to the next will work.
- If I am successful, how would we manage the move from my old role to the new one?
- Are there any aspects of the new job we haven’t covered today that you think I need to prepare for?
- If I am offered the role, I’d be keen to come over for a day or two to meet my new colleagues. Would that be possible, please?
- What opportunities does the transition have for learning and development work?
Tips for asking end-of-interview questions.
Now you have some ideas of questions to ask at the end of your internal interview, here are some general end-of-interview tips.
Don’t ask more than 3 or 4 questions.
Don’t overwhelm the interviewer by asking too many questions. Interviews have evolved into being two-way conversations so, you may be invited to ask questions as you go through the meeting. From your list of prepared questions, pick 3 or 4 of the most relevant or ones that haven’t come up.
Don’t ask too many “me” questions.
These include questions about salary, holiday entitlements or other benefits. Your interview is to demonstrate how you can add value to the department, not the other way round.
Ask one question at a time.
Asking one question at a time means that you’ll be sure all your questions are answered. Lots of questions means it’s easier for your interviewer to avoid your questions without offering a proper response.
Clarify anything you are unsure about.
You may like to use this as an opportunity to clarify anything already discussed that may not have been clear. Rather than interrupting the flow of the interview, you may like to wait until the end to ask any follow-up questions about anything that was unclear.
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