I am scheduled to sit with the hiring manager for a position internal to the organization I currently work for. They have scheduled the meeting for an hour and, as ludicrous as this sounds, I'm not relatively sure how to prepare for it.
Initially I was going into it with the mindset of it being more of an informational interview only because I have not applied for the position. In my initial email to the hiring manager I gave a quick synopsis of my background to them so they knew I was serious about the position and met almost all of their criteria.
That being said, should I take a copy of my resume? My gut says yes, but my brain says no because I haven't applied to the position.
Do I treat this as an informational interview or an actual interview? Do I ask more informational interview type questions or should I ask more interviewee type questions to the hiring manager?
I know why the position interests me and I have a good feel for our company culture; however, that can change slightly from department to department. Ironically, that's one of my biggest concerns, the culture of the department. I am very happy in my current department and the only reasons I'm looking at this position is because the dynamic of my role will changing drastically in a few months (I've taken my current role from a 40 hour job to a 20-30 hour job and with some reorganization it's going to go a 10-15 hour role) and this other position aligns more with my career goals and what I'm studying in grad school.
I appreciate your time and any feedback or opinions on how I should handle this.
Thank you very much!
Answers
Shane:
I just wanted to suggest that you do some intelligence gathering prior to the interview. Try to find out as much as possible about this particular department and the type of challenges they face as well as the department culture. You should approach this interview as you would one with an outside company . Definitely bring your resume . You also may want to revise it slightly to align more with the goals of this particular unit .
Good luck
John
Hi Shane -- I always like to ask what the department needs (as Dean suggested, above) and how I might help. If you are concerned about department culture -- that means you'll want to interview them as much as they want to interview you! If they have a position, that means they have a NEED -- so how can you help? Learn as much as you can about the department's goals and performance -- if you can see something that you are BEST suited for helping, make sure to cover that ground. Make the supervisor's life easier and they will want you. Good luck!
Thank you for your service!
Similar to Claudio's response, try to learn "What are the Top 3 challenges facing your organization/team/department?" and put your efforts and mindset into solving those problems.
Likely they can offer more than three, but it helps to focus on the highest priority ones at a time.
Hello Shane,
Thank you for your service. I hope you got the job. Anytime you meet with a hiring person, the interview has begun. Bring a resume, actually about5, be ready to speak about every point on that resume. Look at it as the script for the interview. Ask “can you tell me about the job” so as to get the interviewer to spill the beans. That info is so valuable. Use it to tell them how your skill set fills those needs. Need plus fit plus chemistry equal the job offer. Be personable, tell them how you can get. Along with all types of people.
Prepare, prepare and then some more. Then relax so you can do your very best.
Regards
Beth Oneill
Hi Shane. Follow all the advice provides and you will be locked and loaded!! You got this!!
Shane like most people I believe you are missing some of the key factors. I have a process that I can review with you called"How to become a Killer Interviewer". I have trained 19 people on how to get into college or grad school; how to interview for a new job and how to get promoted from within. If you would like to schedule a one hour free discussion just let me know. So far I am 19-0 with the people I have trained. My email is ramco1@verizon.net.
Warmly, Bob Molluro Business Mentor
I always would advise you that - yes, this is an interview. The process of selling is ongoing and I think that you should prepare for this, if for no other reason, than to generate a comfort level with how you should be prepared.
Tell me about yourself, strengths / weakness, and why you are important points to be prepared to respond to. Framing your responses about issues, experiences and accomplishments should be thought through to represent a thorough perspective, situation, task, actions and results / what was learned are simple things to keep in mind. These should be identifiable as well with points on your resume (not a word for word repeating of the resume, but offering an understandable consistency)
Yes, bring your resume. Even if it is not requested, at least you are prepared.
Also, come prepared with a few thoughtful questions. You indicate that you have career goals and are concerned with cultural fit and how this may better fit into your educational background. These are great things but always also be mindful about focusing on what you add for the company; what problems do you solve for, what values you can add....
You should think about a mock interview in advance of this interview as well
Best of luck!!
Short answer, Gunny . . . . . one other thought to the GREAT ideas as above. Think about your TALENTS and weave those into your conversation with your prospect(s). That is, how are your TALENTS consistent with the demands of the prospective position?
This (free) assessment will help you define your talents - if you need it: http://www.humanmetrics.com/hr/jtypesresult.aspx
If you need help interpreting same, feel free to contact me off channel at hlstevens42@gmail.com
Thank you for your service. Since they reached out to you they likely already have a grasp of what you bring to the table or someone recommended you but I am sure there is alot more to tell. Definitely bring your resume and plan to highlight a few things in there most pertinent to the role demonstrating what you bring to the table to accelerate the organization.
I always suggest preparing for conversations like this, interview or not, to have a handful of questions prepared but also a few key bullets about yourself you dont want to forget to share. As about their goals and as a department and what role you play in this. Ask about the background on where they were, are, and going so you can get a sense of status quo or significant growth, change etc. Maybe ask up front what first got their attention about you so you know what exactly to expand upon and why they were interested to begin with. Make sure you interview them a bit as well -- and it is totally fair to ask about the culture! Ask that in a positive way like what do they see as the driving force, the pulse, the pace, and the culture that captures the passion of the team for this role and the organization. Also if you can get some insight into something the team did more recently as a major accomplishment, its cool to ask about that, shows you are paying attention outside your traditional wheelhouse - a big picture guy.
And don't forget to send a thank you note/email afterwards!
Good Luck.
Shane -
This is great!
I was recently in a similar position myself and the interview turned out to be a bit of a hybrid - somewhat informal tone, but similar questions to a formal interview. Happy to give more details if needed!
I would definitely recommend bringing your resume! They will likely not look at it during your conversation, especially since they have a summary of your past experience/roles; however, it shows your preparedness and your interest, & is something that they can pass along easily to any relevant individuals.
I would also recommend being very transparent about what you're looking for and what your concerns are in terms of culture/growth potential. Reaffirms that you aren't leaving for a concerning reason (like inability to work with others or unable to handle work), and informs them that they will need to make a competitive offer to acquire you. Remember that you are interviewing them and ensuring this is a good career move for you, just as much as they are interviewing you!
Best of luck! Let me know if I can be a resource for you in any way!
Best,
Kiley
Gunny, my recommendation would be to bring a resume and treat this as a formal interview. You have nothing I can see to lose by doing so and much potential to gain. The fact that the hiring manager wants to take an hour of their time for an interview indicates to me that they are interested in you for this position. It also sounds like while you like where you are in the company, the job may not be there for too long so it is important for you to plan for an orderly transition.
If they scheduled for an hour and already know something about your background, it is probably more than just an informational interview. I would take a copy of your resume with you. Have it in a folder and pull it out if you find it makes sense. If they ask about your background, provide some information and then pull it out and say I brought this along and can leave it with you if you like. Go prepared as if it is an actual interview. Consider what questions they might ask and have your responses prepared. This might be the one chance you get, so you want to make the best of your time. Make it clear why you are interested in the position and the alignment to your grad school work. Good luck! I am sure you'll do great!
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