4 Tips to Succeed in Executive Interviews

What’s the biggest mistake people make in interviews? Interviewing for the job they’re in, not the job they’re going for.

The easiest way to avoid falling into this trap is to approach the interview as you would any part of the business – strategically. Look for overlaps between your current role and the desired position. Then show you’ve the abilities required to adapt to the higher level of responsibilities demanded.

Areas to look out for:

Hiring managers want to see your stakeholder management skills:

Who will your new stakeholders be? Identify who’ll be affected by the outcome of your work – this is important as engaging them will critical to your success. The higher up you go in an organisation, the more important it is to have a well-developed web of relationships. Being an expert in your own field is no longer enough. You need to understand how your unit’s performance impacts on the larger organisation. It’s only by working collaboratively and creatively with stakeholders, that you’ll achieve both departmental and company goals.

Showcase your strategic skills:

Understanding the company’s vision and strategic plan is crucial. Having an appreciation of how you can play your part in achieving its success is powerful. When preparing for your interview, reflect on challenges the sector will face over the next five years. Show your interest in keeping up to date with market trends /disrupters Show your passion for continuous learning and your ability to adapt in a fluid environment.

Hiring manager are looking for innovation and problem solvers:

In a rapidly changing world leaders need to be agile, make decisions without full information and develop a test and learn mentality – reframing mistakes as a source of discoveries. Creating this culture of psychological safety will also encourage innovation and the search for excellence.

Show the hiring manager how you inspire others to perform at their best :

Leaders need to get work done through other people. When focusing on your achievements in the interview, show how your success was facilitated by working effectively with others. Highlight how you created a vision, encouraged diverse views, solidified relationships through showing empathy and brought people with you on the journey.

Conclusion:

Don’t forget, the best interviews are evidence based. Spend time reflecting on what value you’ve brought your current company. Have examples to hand to demonstrate your skills and be able to quantify your achievements. Finally, never underestimate the power of passion. The interview board will feel genuine passion and it’s still a strong deciding factor when making the final appointment.

About the Author

Laura McGrath is a qualified executive coach, EMCC Certified with over 20 years’ experience in executive search and recruitment.  She’s the owner of Interview Techniques, a leading provider of interview and career coaching services and has been a guest lecturer with Trinity College Dublin and TU Dublin.  She’s given master interview classes with Institute of Chartered Accountants. For a consultation, please call 087 669 1192 or go to https://interviewtechniques.ie/contact/

Public Sector Experience: She’s been on public sector interview panel for the Civil Service. She’s also been on Local Authority, County Council, HSE, Irish Prison Service, Garda Siochana and numerous semi-state boards, interviewing using both the Capability Framework and Competency Models.