Interview questions for internal job applicants

Dawn D

Good afternoon,
I am looking for interview questions to ask internal job candidates. For example any behavioral questions might be helpful in order to determine how the employee will approach his/her new job or assist in the transition of responsbilities in the former position.

Thank you.

Margaret Morford

How about these two:

On your current job, tell me about the last time you had to seek help from someone else on an assignment.

Go back in your job history and tell me about when you left a job or were promoted out of a job, what did you do to help your employer or manager transition?

Hope those help.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]

Gillian

First list the knowledges, skills and abilities that the job requires - ability to prioritize, tactfulness, problem solving etc., then think of behavioral questions for the most important ones. Don't forget the flip side question that also might provide insight into the abilities, or lack of them. For example, a question about problem solving could be "Tell me about a time where you successfully solved a particularly difficult problem". The flip side would be " Tell me about a problem which you were unable to solve".

Don D

Here are a couple:
(1) "I know you have a fairly good understanding of what the position consists of and requires. Tell me a little about how you might want to utilize others to help you quickly transition into the new position if you're selected. Or, on the other hand, do you feel comfortable just sort of winging it and, over time, mastering a new position." This will give you a good indication of his/her approach to teamwork and ability to enlist support of others as opposed to perhaps insisting entirely on his/her own methods and resources to succeed.
(2) "You seem to know quite a bit about the position and, in fact, the whole department. Tell me what changes you might think are appropriate and in what timeframe you would expect to make them." This is a good identifier for perhaps weeding out or at least being aware of those who would be inclined to rush in making changes and upsetting applecarts as opposed to those who will give careful consideration and analysis prior to touching anything.