Kennedy's Column

Pitfalls of Internal Interviews

One of the tougher interview situations is with a co-worker you know. There is a tendency to be overly casual and informal, to not take notes, to avoid probing questions, and to allow the interview to meander and become personal.

The result? Internal candidates feel like they missed out on a real interview. This is poor for morale and ultimately for retention and productivity.

So what do you do when you interview a co-worker? Since it may seem awkward to talk about current work, reverse the chronology of the interview. Go back 5-10 years and ask candidates to discuss education and prior work experience up to their current job. Then deal with their present work by asking what skills have served them best over time, and what new skills (rather than knowledge) they must now rely on.