15 Internal Interview Questions to Make Awesome Hires from Within

Sometimes the best person for the job is right there next to you. Finding your next superstar internally is a great way to reduce recruitment costs and improve employee retention. But you still need to make sure you’re putting the right people in the right seats on the bus.

We’ve got you covered with the top 15 interview questions for internal hiring.

Best internal job interview questions

1. What drew you to this role?
2. What's one aspect of your current role you would like to change?
3. What have you learned in your current role that would help you succeed in this position?
4. If you got this position, ​​what would you do to help your replacement?
5. Where do you see yourself one year from now?
6. Tell me about the last project you led. Who was involved and how did you divide tasks?
7. Have you spoken to your current manager about this interview?
8. What responsibilities and challenges are you expecting in the new role?
9. What does your ideal collaboration style look like?
10. How often do you collaborate across departments?
11. How do you clarify instructions when a task isn’t clear?
12. Tell us about a time when you made a misjudgment. How did you correct it?
13. Have you encountered any communication challenges with your current team? What steps did you take to solve them?
14. What motivates you to meet your deadlines?
15. Tell me about the most challenging project you've had here. What did you learn from it?

The 15 best questions to ask in an internal interview

When interviewing internal candidates, you have the advantage of already knowing their communication style and how they approach teamwork.

Unlike the common interview questions you’d use for an external interview, these sample questions are designed to elicit answers based on your internal applicants’ current role – and what they’re able to bring to the new role.

1. What drew you to this role?

This question gets to the heart of why a candidate is looking to switch roles. Are they unsatisfied with their current position? Do they want more responsibility? This question offers valuable insight into an internal candidate’s key motivations.

2. What's one aspect of your current role you would like to change?

This question is a great way to gain insight into a candidate’s current job. What’s working? What isn’t? And what are their expectations for their next role?

This information is especially useful if a candidate doesn’t get the open position. The management team can follow up by looking back at the candidate’s response and pinpointing ways to improve their experience, even if it means staying in their existing role for the time being.

3. What have you learned in your current role that would help you succeed in this position?

If the new position is a step up from their old one, this question gives the candidate an opportunity to show what they know and highlight the top skills or competencies they’ll bring to the table. If it’s more of a lateral shift, the candidate can highlight their transferable skills.

4. If you got this position, ​​what would you do to help your replacement?

One of the biggest challenges with internal hiring is dealing with the gap left by a promoted employee. This question helps set a basis for a conversation around how the candidate can provide support to the individual filling their old job, making the transition easier for everyone.

5. Where do you see yourself one year from now? And in five years?

Get a glimpse into how the internal candidate's plans align with the company's goals. Their decision-making process and vision can help assess how they want to learn, progress, and grow at the company. Use this information to assess potential management fit and set clear performance management milestones for further growth.

6. Tell me about the last project you led. Who was involved and how did you divide tasks?

Problem-solving interview questions can help you understand how a candidate manages and collaborates on projects. This question helps evaluate their project management abilities and leadership skills. Find out how they learn from past experiences and whether they’re open to improving in the future.

➡️Need more questions? Swing by the Breezy resource center and choose from over 400 free interview guides – including management interview questions, leadership interview questions and more!

7. Have you spoken to your current manager about this interview?

Successful internal recruitment depends on clear communication between all parties involved. In case there’s any doubt, be sure to ask this question. Internal mobility is great for company culture, but only if it’s approached with clear guidelines and full transparency. This one can also help you gauge the candidate's ability to communicate effectively with team members and stakeholders, ensuring a positive working relationship in the future.

8. What responsibilities and challenges are you anticipating in the new role?

This question helps the hiring manager understand what the candidate is expecting from the new position, including any fears or doubts. It also ensures the candidate knows what's expected of them, and gives them the chance to ask any lingering questions about the responsibilities listed in the job description.

9. What does your ideal collaboration style look like?

Cultural norms and team dynamics can vary, even within specific teams and departments. This question will help you understand where your candidate is coming from and how their former team culture aligns with their potential future role. 

10. How often do you collaborate across departments?

Which other teams and departments has the candidate worked with? How do they describe their communication and collaboration skills? These types of questions are important because they can offer you a look into the candidate's ability to be a team player, even when working with new teams or departments.

11. How do you clarify instructions when a task isn’t clear?

Even if the candidate already knows how things are done in a particular role or team, clear directions are crucial for ensuring a smooth onboarding experience and accelerating your ramp time.

12. Tell us about a time you made a misjudgment. How did you correct it?

Everybody makes mistakes. It’s how you deal with them that can make the difference between success and failure. This question assesses the candidate's level of ownership and accountability. Do they admit mistakes openly and seek to solve them?

13. Have you encountered any communication challenges with your current team? What steps did you take to solve them?

Similarly, this question assesses the candidate's communication skills and offers insight into how they resolve conflicts. Beyond hard skills and qualifications, the strength of a candidate’s emotional intelligence and soft skills can be a critical factor when reshuffling roles internally.

14. What motivates you to meet your deadlines?

No matter what position you’re looking to fill, it likely involves some level of time management. This question will help you understand how the candidate prioritizes their time for various projects and ensures that tasks are completed on schedule.

15. Tell me about the most challenging project you've had here. What did you learn from it?

We all have a moment we’re particularly proud of. This question gives the candidate an opportunity to champion the tough-but-rewarding work they’ve been a part of so far, while providing insight into their problem-solving abilities and capacity to learn from past challenges.

The benefits of internal vs. external hiring

When you have an open internal position, you typically have two choices: find someone from within or post the open role and hire externally.

Both have their benefits and drawbacks. And because the two processes deal with completely different candidate pools, you need to approach each scenario with care. 

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of internal vs. external hiring.

Internal interview tips for hiring teams

When interviewing internal candidates, it's important to remember that internal hiring isn't just about moving people up the corporate ladder. It's about creating a rich candidate experience that supports team dynamics and drives your company's goals forward.

The numbers tell a clear story: 54% of employers are struggling to find qualified external candidates, while 29% say limited advancement opportunities are killing their retention rates. That's why more companies are getting creative with their internal interview tips and processes.

When interviewing internal candidates, look for these key qualities:

• Enthusiasm for the new job
• Growth mindset and desire to learn
• Solid work ethic
• Genuine interest in the leadership role
• Strong teamwork abilities

Think of internal hiring like a garden trellis rather than a corporate ladder. Your people should be able to grow in multiple directions, developing new skills and leadership styles that benefit both them and the business. And the best part? You'll save on those external recruitment costs while building a more engaged, capable workforce.

Sniff out the superstars in your team

Even if you think you’ve got the right person for the job, internal interviews are an important part of the hiring process. Take an intentional approach with an internal interview process that helps you give the right opportunities to the right employees.

When you’re ready to streamline your internal hires, Breezy is here to help. Use Breezy’s complete suite of interview tools to sync up team schedules, make sure everyone’s asking the right questions, and spend less time emailing and more time getting to know your best candidates.

Try it yourself with a free 14-day trial and start making better internal hires today.