Interview Prompts for Executives (Wendy Samson and Curt Swenson, 2016)
If you googled “interview questions” today, you would find hundreds of sources and sites that provide interview questions for prospective front line staff members and mid-management. It is much more difficult to find great interview prompts for an organization’s top leadership search.
Part of the the difficulty is the phased nature of the executive interview. Typically, three meetings is the minimum number of opportunities for professionals to interview at the highest tier. These phases move from less to more specificity in the nature of the search committee’s questions and prompts. However, FutureSYNC International recommends a slightly different method.
To ascertain a true fit and your candidates’ levels of skill and competencies, we suggest that every phase should offer a high level of specificity and a more immediate opportunity to reveal the applicant’s “heart and mind alignment” with the work. So, to get your executive search started, we have offered up some initial prompts for your top tier candidates.
- Please prepare five (5) core value statements phrased in terms of your value proposition to the company.
- Provide two CAR (Challenge-Action-Result) stories to illustrate your leadership style and expectations.
- Provide two more CAR stories exemplifying your ability to successfully communicate and negotiate with both internal and external customers.
- If we were writing a case study on you as a leader, what four (4) primary lessons of leadership would you share?
- What role do you feel you play in providing a safe work environment for your managers, staff members, volunteers and clients/customers?
- What qualities set you apart and how does your particular skill set align with the long- term goals of this organization?
Please contact FutureSYNC International at (406) 254-2326 for more information on effective executive interview strategies!