Question re internal recruitment practices

[Moz]

I'm keen to hear how employers deal with internal applicants for a job that you have advertised.

In particular, do you interview all internal candidates or do you reject some internal candidates without interview?

[IvanaC]

Hello Moz

In many of the organisations that I have worked for, we always interviewed all internal applicants.

Hope this helps.

[Moz]

Hello Moz

In many of the organisations that I have worked for, we always interviewed all internal applicants.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Ivana. That's exactly what we're trying to avoid. It would be okay if all the applicants were worthy of interview, but some of them haven't got any chance of being appointed, even if there were no other candidates!

[IvanaC]

Thanks Ivana. That's exactly what we're trying to avoid. It would be okay if all the applicants were worthy of interview, but some of them haven't got any chance of being appointed, even if there were no other candidates!

You are quite right Moz, so when advertising internally I have made it very clear that they need to address the selection criteria as if they were an external applicant, usually this helps with the selection process and makes discussion, especially unfavourable, a little easier. Where an employee is looking for a career change then I would assess those transferable skills and whether the team could accomodate that along with their attitude. It is about giving people an opportunity for further development at the end of it all.

Ivana

[Greg Schmidt]

The approach that I've always used is to show a bias in favour of internal applicants - so that you look for reasons to include them on the shortlist rather than exclude them. This may mean that you end up interviewing some internal candidates whose claims are "marginal" compared to some externals.

However, there should be some limits; if you interview candidates who have no hope of winning the position you are wasting their time as well as the interviewer(s) time. An internal candidate who is clearly not going to be selected could instead be provided with feedback on their application and some career guidance.

Greg

[Moz]

Thanks Ivana and Greg. I'm helping a friend with this and his company's policy to interview all internal candidates, regardless of how much time it consumes. My initial advice has been to dissuade unsuitable candidates from applying through tightly worded selection criteria (it's very loose at present).

Unfortunately, despite being the hiring manager, he often doesn't get to see the job ad before it's posted. Clearly this needs to change.

I hear what you both say about giving feedback to people and this has actually been constructive in the past, with some people working on what they need to and eventually securing a more senior position. However there are some people who simply think if they apply often enough, it will eventually be "their turn"!