I've been in my job about a year and I have an interview next week to be promoted to management level. I am more technically capable than the other candidates but I have much less time served and am less personable.

This is really important to me because I am near terminally bored in my current position and am literally doing my own work, the work of two other people and then staring into the middle distance for the remaining 6 hours a day.

I'm concerned that the hiring manager has said he is looking for people skills, "qualities", and so on. They've said the interview will be "informal", which is scary.

Any advice? Anyone been in a similar position and got feedback either way?

number 1 rule "confidence"

just go in there like you have the job answer every question with an example and backup of your statements. and your bound to get it based on skill.

just pretend your sociable as fuck if you need to.

I'd rather your informal interview than my formal one. I have to give a presentation on a topic I know next to nothing about then have a 90 minute technical Q&A session.

Anyway, I'd say try and be enthusiastic about your work and read up on some basic management methods about how to motivate people. If you know the technical side then you need to show your enthusiasm and eagerness for the subject area. Your natural "people" skills should come through.

EDIT: No matter how many times I try, I cannot seem to get this video to work - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te8u3qguxew

In my experience, the worst thing to do for interviews is to prepare too much. Don't overthink what you're going to be asked, etc. Because, chances are, everything you think you planned for will be completely skipped by.

This is an internal hire by the looks of things, so you're already known by the company. They know your work ethic, behaviour patterns, and productivity levels. If you were invited to an interview for the promotion, that means they like what they see, if it was open so that anybody can try for the interview, that may be a little more difficult.

Management skills are typically softer skills, so you'll have your work cut out proving them in an interview, if they haven't already selected you. Also, look at the managers in your company: can you do what they do? Would you WANT to do what they do? Sure it's more money, but management jobs (especially mid-level managers in larger businesses) are fucking boring jobs - emails, mindless meetings, and office politics with other middle-managers who are all competing for the next rung of the ladder.

Also, fyi, if you're as good at your job as you say, you might not get the promotion simply because they don't want to lose you at doing what you're doing. At my firm, bad programmers become managers, good programmers become architects, and "distinguished engineers" (who sometimes end up on more than the managers)

I'd turn that "doing other people's work for them" part into a "teamwork" and "dependability" skill, and massage the message so that it doesn't look like you're making them redundant but that you're giving them a helping hand.

Be yourself.

Nah just kidding that's terrible advice. Just tell him everything he wants to hear. You're a people person, you love teamwork, you think working is fun, all that crap.

Confidence is pretty important in your case ... 

Do be prepared about the questions relevant to the job your applying at hand ... 

It also wouldn't hurt to make you know that there's more "soft skills" involved then amount you possibly think there is too ...

Yep, it was open applications.

I kind of don't want to do what they do? But I know I can't stay where I am for much longer. If I don't get this I plan to leave ASAP. It is a large, public sector business and everyone from the top to the bottom's attitude is that if they personally don't do anything, nothing bad can happen. And often they are right.

Agreed there. We don't have a technical promotion structure - it's either management or stay where you are. 

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"Be yourself.

Nah just kidding that's terrible advice. Just tell him everything he wants to hear. You're a people person, you love teamwork, you think working is fun, all that crap."

"Anyway, I'd say try and be enthusiastic about your work and read up on some basic management methods about how to motivate people. If you know the technical side then you need to show your enthusiasm and eagerness for the subject area. Your natural "people" skills should come through."

Pretending does seem like a good strategy. It feels like lying though.

"It also wouldn't hurt to make you know that there's more "soft skills" involved then amount you possibly think there is too ..."

The previous guy in the position was very much a people person. I'm not sure that it made him a good manager?