Interview Questions to Ask Internal Candidates
Thoughtful questions to assess internal candidates for new roles, focusing on their growth potential, transferable skills, and cultural fit.
1What motivated you to apply for this position?
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What motivated you to apply for this position?
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Why this works
Understanding their motivation helps you assess their genuine interest in the role and whether they're seeking growth or just a change.
2How do you see this role building on your current experience?
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How do you see this role building on your current experience?
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Why this works
This question helps you understand how they plan to leverage their existing knowledge while developing new skills in the new position.
3What new skills or knowledge are you most excited to develop in this role?
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What new skills or knowledge are you most excited to develop in this role?
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Why this works
Understanding their learning goals helps you assess their growth mindset and whether they're prepared for the challenges of the new position.
4How would you approach building relationships with new team members?
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How would you approach building relationships with new team members?
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Why this works
Internal candidates need to navigate existing relationships while building new ones, so understanding their approach helps assess their interpersonal skills.
5What aspects of your current role do you want to carry forward, and what do you want to leave behind?
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What aspects of your current role do you want to carry forward, and what do you want to leave behind?
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Why this works
This question helps you understand their self-awareness and ability to reflect on their current performance while planning for growth.
6How do you plan to maintain relationships with your current team while transitioning to this new role?
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How do you plan to maintain relationships with your current team while transitioning to this new role?
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Why this works
Understanding their approach to relationship management helps you assess their emotional intelligence and ability to navigate organizational dynamics.
7What challenges do you anticipate in this new role, and how would you address them?
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What challenges do you anticipate in this new role, and how would you address them?
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Why this works
This question helps you assess their problem-solving skills and whether they've thought through the realities of the new position.
8How do you see this role contributing to your long-term career goals?
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How do you see this role contributing to your long-term career goals?
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Why this works
Understanding their career vision helps you assess whether this role aligns with their aspirations and if they're likely to stay engaged long-term.
9What feedback have you received about your current performance that you want to apply in this new role?
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What feedback have you received about your current performance that you want to apply in this new role?
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Why this works
This question helps you assess their ability to receive feedback, learn from it, and apply lessons learned to new situations.
10How would you handle the transition period between your current role and this new one?
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How would you handle the transition period between your current role and this new one?
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Why this works
Understanding their transition planning helps you assess their organizational skills and ability to manage change effectively.
11What unique perspective do you bring to this role based on your current experience?
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What unique perspective do you bring to this role based on your current experience?
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Why this works
This question helps you understand the value they can bring to the new role and how their existing knowledge can benefit the team.
12How do you plan to stay connected with the work and people in your current area?
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How do you plan to stay connected with the work and people in your current area?
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Why this works
Understanding their approach to maintaining connections helps you assess their ability to balance new responsibilities with existing relationships.
13What support do you need to be successful in this new role?
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What support do you need to be successful in this new role?
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Why this works
This question helps you understand their self-awareness and ability to articulate their needs, which is crucial for their success.
14How would you approach learning the new aspects of this role while maintaining your current responsibilities?
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How would you approach learning the new aspects of this role while maintaining your current responsibilities?
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Why this works
Understanding their learning approach helps you assess their ability to manage multiple priorities and transition effectively.
15What questions do you have about this role that you couldn't answer by observing from your current position?
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What questions do you have about this role that you couldn't answer by observing from your current position?
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Why this works
This question helps you assess their curiosity and depth of thinking about the new role, as well as their ability to ask insightful questions.
16How do you see this role changing your daily routine and work style?
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How do you see this role changing your daily routine and work style?
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Why this works
Understanding their expectations about change helps you assess their flexibility and readiness for the new role's demands.
17What would you do differently in this role compared to how you've seen others approach it?
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What would you do differently in this role compared to how you've seen others approach it?
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Why this works
This question helps you understand their critical thinking skills and ability to identify opportunities for improvement.
18How do you plan to measure your success in this new role?
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How do you plan to measure your success in this new role?
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Why this works
Understanding their success metrics helps you assess their goal-setting abilities and alignment with the role's expectations.
19What concerns do you have about taking on this new role?
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What concerns do you have about taking on this new role?
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Why this works
This question helps you understand their self-awareness and ability to identify potential challenges, which is important for their success.
20How do you see this role impacting your relationships with colleagues across the organization?
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How do you see this role impacting your relationships with colleagues across the organization?
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Why this works
Understanding their perspective on organizational dynamics helps you assess their ability to navigate complex relationships and build new connections.
Interviewing Internal Candidates
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Effective Interview Practices
Focus on Growth Potential
Assess their ability to learn new skills and adapt to new challenges rather than just their current performance.
Evaluate Cultural Fit
Consider how their values and work style align with the new team and role requirements.
Assess Transferable Skills
Look for skills and experiences that can be applied to the new role, even if they're from a different context.