Internal interview in English: what to expect and how to prepare
Short answer
An internal interview is for a job with your current employer, such as a promotion or a move to another team. Prepare as seriously as for a new employer: the panel may know your work, but they still need clear examples and a reason why you are ready for this role.
What to expect in a internal interview
- People you know: The panel may include your manager or people you work with every day. It can feel informal, but it is usually scored like any interview.
- The same process: Internal and external candidates are often asked the same questions, so the panel can compare fairly.
- Questions about the change: For example, how you would manage former colleagues, or why you want to move from your current team.
- Feedback: Many employers give internal candidates feedback afterwards, whatever the result.
How to prepare
- Do not assume they know everything: The panel cannot score what you do not say. Explain your examples fully, even if they were there.
- Talk to people in the new role: Ask a colleague who does the job, or the hiring manager, what the role really involves.
- Choose recent examples: Use stories from the last year or two, ideally where you already did part of the new job.
- Prepare for the sensitive questions: Think about how you would talk about your current manager, your team and any earlier applications.
- Plan for both results: Decide how you will ask for feedback and keep good relationships, whatever the panel decides.
English phrases for a internal interview
Learn two or three of these so they come easily when you are nervous.
- Explaining a known example: "You may remember the project last spring. My part in it was…"
- Why you want to move: "I have learned a lot in my current team, and now I want to use it in…"
- Talking about your manager: "My manager has supported me to develop…, and this role is the next step."
- About colleagues: "I would keep good relationships with my current team, and be fair to everyone in the new one."
- Asking for feedback: "Whatever the decision, could I have feedback on what to develop next?"
Common mistakes for non-native speakers
- Giving short answers because "they already know me". The panel may only be allowed to score what you say in the room.
- Being too casual with people you know, such as joking or using workplace slang.
- Complaining about your current team as a reason to move.
- Not preparing questions, because you think you already know the role.
Questions people ask
Do I need to tell my manager I am applying?
It depends on your employer's process. In many workplaces it is expected, and it is usually better if your manager hears it from you.
What if an external candidate is also applying?
That is common. Focus on what you can show: your knowledge of the organisation and your evidence for the new role.
What if I am not chosen?
Ask for feedback, thank the panel, and agree a development plan with your manager. Another opportunity may come later.
Related guides
Practise a internal interview
Answer real questions in a practice internal interview, out loud or in writing, and see what an interviewer may notice and what to fix first. Free to start, no card needed.