Interviewing against internal candidates

Do they always have it sewn up? I'm just out of an interview as an external candidate where there is also an internal candidate applying for the role as a promotion and it was probably one of the worst interviews I've had. Not because I couldn't answer the questions but because the two interviewers seemed so disinterested in what I said as if the interview was just a box ticking exercise. I found out later from a colleague that there's an internal candidate up for the role aswell.

The industry I'm in is pretty small so I can usually find out through contacts if there are any internals up for the jobs I go for. In your experience do the internals always have the jobs in the bag with interviewing other candidates just a formality to legitimise giving the job to the internal applicant? Feeling very disheartened this afternoon!

MrWalsh

No - not at all. Sometimes they are only being interviewed to keep the peace!!

But generally if you feel it went badly, it went badly.

Yup it went badly The internal candidate is also 'acting up' into the role that's on offer so we'll see I guess. I won't be holding my breath!

Gongoozler

I went for an internal position that my bosses had told me to go for, and didn't get it over an external candidate. In at least some places it's about the right person for the job, or in my case someone with hands on experience of it.

So yeah you can't assume that an internal candidate will get it. Though someone acting up, that's a slightly different story.

Irish_Elect_Eng

Always remember that the interviewers know all about the internal candidate, and that includes the problems as well as the positives.

An external candidate can put on a good performance for an interview and be hired as the interviewers do not know about the skeletons in their closet or their tendency towards antisocial behavior :-)

Hard to hide the bad points when you have worked with the interviewers.

amdublin

Tbh I think the majority of the time it goes to the internal imo.

Saying that my friend got a.job while up against 3 internal candidates. They ended up creating an additional role and taking him and an internal.

Knit wit

I got my job as an external candidate. There was the presumption that it was the internal candidates job to loose .... She was doing the job.The interview demonstrated that in spite of doing the job, her understanding of the role was not as good as mine.
Having said that for the first six months I was made to feel like I stole her job!
Good luck with the job hunt. Seek feedback from the interview afterwards.

Irish_Elect_Eng

"Stealing the internal candidates Job"

This can be a big challenge, if as an external candidate you displace an internal candidate that expected to get the position. It is especially challenging if you are managing the internal candidate. Often you will be relying on the failed candidate for information / support during your induction period and this can be difficult.

You need a plan to bring the candidate on-side and work with them on other development opportunities, in a new role you cannot afford to leave this to chance and possibly have one of tour new team actively undermining you.

Just to put an end to the story for you.....the internal candidate got the job. I know of them professionally and they were a good match for the role. Thanks for all the replies folks. The search continues!