I’m applying for an internal position next week and know the people who are interviewing. How should I approach such a meeting? What are the downsides of an internal applicant?

Prepare and plan, just as you would if applying for an external role. You need to shine don’t believe this will be a shoo-in and a friendly chat. You will be up against a very hungry group of candidates and you must not be ill-prepared.

One of your strengths will be that you have the inside track on what the role is and how it has been performed by the outgoing incumbent. You should also have knowledge of the challenges of the role. If appropriate, a chat with the existing role holder might give you some depth and insight, which could be replayed to the panel.

This is not the time to be low-key. You will need to shout from the rooftops about your successes, your contribution, your results, Even if your interviewers know about them, remind them of the role you have played and the passion you will bring to the job. Don’t go down the ‘safe pair of hands’ route, they will already acknowledge that, but show you are hungry, ready for the role and that you are full of new ideas.

 

I’m bored. The best I can say about my job is that it pays the mortgage but it’s obviously not the right time to move.

Go and chat to a few colleagues who have been made recently redundant. You might feel giving yourself a kick up your backside could be necessary.

Get real. The world is tough and unless you start performing, your employment tenure will be very quickly over. Ticking over and hoping no-one will see your lack of effort is foolish and short-sighted. Your employer will be constantly looking at ways to reduce costs and you would be handing yourself over on a plate.

Look at ways you can challenge yourself and your team, change your routine; start thinking about outcomes rather than process. Can you deliver more? How would it feel if you treated tomorrow as the first day of your existing job? What would you do differently? How can you make a difference?

Throw yourself into the job for the next six months and then if still bored, start a proper job search. You may be right in that this is not the job for you, but leave from a position of strength not from running away. You must stop being complacent. It is your life. Take control and don’t wait for others to take decisions for you. You might not like the result.

If you have a question for Sue, email her at:sue@mountstevensexecutivecoaching.com