I once worked for a scientific company. I was nominally in charge of my department, but I was one level below supervisor (they called it “senior”).
One day HR decides to create yet another mid-management role. Since locations had used “senior” promotions more as a legacy promotion rather than help for management, the lead positions would be lateral/slightly above senior.
They announced that there was a lead position open in my department. Which just so happened to be the same role I was in. So I had to apply for my own job.
I actually had to interview for my own job. I thought I was an obvious choice for my own role. I didn’t think anyone else would apply since my department was the least scientific area of the lab. But my area started earlier than other departments, so I heard people might apply for it.
I go into the interview. I’m interviewing with my boss. For my own job. I’d like to think that having known me for years would have been enough, plus being my direct supervisor for over a year, she would have had enough info. But here we were, in her office on the middle of my workday interviewing for my own role.
First half of the interview is awkward. I’m basically getting a performance review of what I had done in the department. But I am doing my best to impress her.
At one point, I ask, “So what do you expect from the lead of the department that you don’t expect from a senior?” And she just blanked. She could not come up with one thing.
So then I realized we were just going through the motions to make HR happy.
I ended up getting the position, and an unexpected slight pay bump. To do everything I was already doing.