20 top tips to prepare for a successful promotion interview

If you’re a woman in technology looking to step up to a bigger role at work so you fully unlock your leadership potential, you have an intriguing choice to make.

The first obvious choice is to apply for a promotion with your current employer.

The second choice, and often preferred by women, is to find the next step on the career ladder outside of your current employer.

Whichever route you choose, today I’m sharing some top tips on how to prepare afor a successful promotion interview – whether that’s internal or external – so you calm your nerves and showcase your skills and experience.

Many of these tips have been generously shared with me by my connections on LinkedIn and are in addition to the tips I share in my Ultimate Interview Checklist. 

1. Set the intention of having fun. Fun is never stressful.
2. When you feel butterflies in your stomach, tell yourself it’s excitement not anxiety. For many of us excitement feels the same as anxiety.
3. Believe in yourself – if you have been called in for interview, you have the same shot as everyone else.
4. Practice your meet and greet conversation out loud beforehand, including with a smile.
5. Have at least a couple of great questions ready and practice asking them, out loud.
6. Arrive early (if it’s a face-to-face interview) and do some deep breathing while waiting.
7. Talk to the receptionist or whoever greets you – perhaps less likely you’ll get a face-to-face interview in the current market.
8. Anchoring is a great way to over come stress and anxiety in any scenario. 
9. Take a deep breath – it helps remove the adrenaline from the blood. 
10. Take a bottle of water (or have one to hand if it’s an interview on Zoom). If you need time to answer a question take a sip.
11. For online interviews, practice the technology in advance (more top tips on how to prepare for video interviews here).
12. Know the position description for the role you’re applying for because that will give you a huge boost in confidence! 
13. If it’s an internal promotion, research in advance on what more will be expected of you at the next level.
14. Remember it’s a two way conversation – keep it professional don’t overthink it. 
15. You’ve got the interview – that means your CV is working and the employer has seen something they like about you. 
16. Get crystal clear on your skills, experiences and achievements so that you feel fully prepared. 
17. Ask others who know you well for feedback on your strengths so you have that inner confidence and self-belief which will make you a stand out candidate.
18. Be prepared to talk about how you would approach the first 90 days in post.
19. For an external promotion role, research the organisation thoroughly – their values, their mission, have they been in the news etc
20. And the last 3 tips are: preparation, preparation, preparation.

Sometimes when we’re really keen to succeed and nail that job promotion, we get ourselves worked up into a ball of knots and anxiety. If that’s you, follow these tips and you’ll be sure to have a successful promotion interview.

For more practical tips on how to manage your career with confidence and purpose, check out my FREE workbook and discover what you need to prioritise so you get the career opportunities worthy of your skills and experience.