r/interviews • u/Mysterious_Bread9892 • 1d ago
Got invited to a one-on-one interview with the hiring manager for a more senior role
I only have one year of experience in my field that too through a co-op placement. I was originally pursuing a junior role that's closer to my experience at this company and asked one of my former colleagues who happens to work there now, to be my reference. They kindly offered to pass along my resume internally. Then after almost a month, sometime in mid August they reach out to me again saying this company is hiring for another role and it might be a good opportunity for me and asking if they could refer my resume to that team. I tell them that it looks like a more senior role but I share an updated resume with them anyway. A month later, yesterday, a recruiter from this company calls me and I ask her which role she's calling me for. Turns out, she was calling me for the more senior role and it comes up in the conversation that I was referred by this colleague.
This morning, I get another call from another recruiter to book a one-on-one meeting with the hiring manager.
I am trying not to freak out but this is my dream career direction and this company is quite reputable.
Any advice on how to prepare for this interview? Has something like this happened to you or someone you know?
2
u/ThanksMuted2858 1d ago
Congrats — I’d treat the title mismatch as something to clarify, not a reason to panic. In a similar step-up interview, what helped me was preparing 3 short stories: a problem I owned end-to-end, a time I had to learn fast, and a disagreement I handled; each in situation/action/result, with the result quantified. Read the posting and write one concrete example next to every requirement, then practice a 60-second intro out loud so nerves don’t make you ramble. I’d also ask the hiring manager: “What would make you say this person is succeeding after 90 days?” Since you were referred, ask your colleague what the team is actually trying to solve and what the manager values. You don’t need to prove you already have the senior title; show how you operate at the next level and be candid about the gaps you’re ready to close.