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Interviewing for Executives, Re-energise your job search

Is it important to highlight soft skills in leadership interviews?

Hybrid working has placed increasing demands on organisations; changing how we collaborate with colleagues and blurring the boundaries between work and home.
More than ever, employers are placing a premium on emotional intelligence in their selection process to ensure their teams have the inbuilt flexibility required to weather any unexpected storms, yet remain on course.
With this in mind, what are the three top qualities employers look for?

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ageism
Why wasn't I successful?, Re-energise your job search

How can you overcome ageism in interviews?

In our youth obsessed culture, what’s the best way to navigate unconscious bias in interviews? Acknowledging its existence is a good starting point. Many of us have internalised the idea that risk, energy and agility are the preserve of the young. Yet when you reflect more deeply, we all know people in their 20s who crave security and routine, preferring Netflix to running marathons. The reality is, there’s as much diversity in the over 40s as there is in the under 40s.

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Interview Trends
Why wasn't I successful?, Interviewing for Executives, Re-energise your job search

Interview Trends. What are the 3 top skills hiring managers want?

Throughout my career I’ve worked in partnership with hiring managers to ensure they attract and retain the best talent. In the past five years in executive interviews there’s been an increased emphasis on soft skills, with particular attention being paid to three focus areas. What are those skills? Influencing, learning agility and emotional intelligence.

In this article, I’ll explore why these qualities are important and guide you on how to weave them into the interview process.

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Top 10 Interview Questions
Popular Interview Questions

Top 10 Interview Questions and Answers

  • Laura-McGrath
  • January 22, 2023

Whilst it is impossible to anticipate all the questions that might be asked in interview, you should however prepare for the most common ones that professional interviewers tend to rely on.  I have outlined below the ten most popular interview questions and given some guidelines on how to best answer them.

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Tell me about yourself.
Popular Interview Questions

How to answer the interview question “Tell me about yourself”

This is a hugely popular interview question and at first glance looks little more than an “ice breaker”. In reality it’s probably one of the more challenging questions asked as it’s not immediately obvious what the interviewer is looking for. What do you focus on – your professional or personal life? How much detail should you give? How long should your answer be?

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What have you been doing
Popular Interview Questions

What have you been doing since your last job?

Losing your job is ranked by experts as one of the most stressful life events that people experience.  Being made redundant can knock your self-esteem, strain your personal relationships and of course negatively affect your bank balance and quality of life.  To compound matters, just as you’re learning to cope with the aftershock of this trauma, you’re required to be at your personal best to perform well in interviews and convince employers that you are their ideal candidate.

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10 Reasons to Use an Interview Coach
Ten Reasons to Use an Interview Coach

10 Reasons to Use an Interview Coach

Using the services of an interview coach has become very popular. Employers have become increasingly specific in their requirements and the most attractive companies have rigorous recruitment and selection processes creating a very competitive environment. It’s a very personal service which directly addresses why your interviews are not being turned into job offers and works with you to overcome these obstacles.

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What do you know about this company?
Popular Interview Questions

How to answer the interview question -What do you know about this company?

  • Laura-McGrath
  • September 3, 2023

This is a very popular interview question and when answered well is a great way to mark you out from other job applicants.  Employers are interested in establishing what you know about their company as it helps them determine:

How interested you are in working for the company. Making the wrong decision reflects very poorly on a recruitment manager and they will do everything possible to minimise this risk.   By showing a genuine interest in the company, you will position yourself as a credible applicant with a desire to succeed, fit in and develop with the role. 

Your commercial awareness. By demonstrating in interview that you have extensively researched the company and have taken the time to understand their positioning in the marketplace, their key business drivers and the commercial pressures they face – you will show your ability to think outside the box and the value added you are bringing to the organisation.

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Women in Leadership, Why wasn't I successful?, Interviewing for Executives

4 Tips to Succeed in Executive Interviews

What’s the biggest mistake we make in interviews?

Interviewing for the job we’re in, not the job we’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:

Stakeholder management:
Strategic input:
Emotional Intelligence:

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Working Under Pressure
Popular Interview Questions, Competency Questions

Interview Question “How well do you work under pressure?

How well do you work under pressure?
Why do employers ask this question?

In a period of economic instability, efficiency becomes a focal point for management and employees are often expected to take on more responsibility and a greater work load. Greater economic uncertainty means that traditional ways of operating are challenged, new ideas and practices are implemented; all of which creates unpredictability in what was previously a stable work environment.

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How to Shine at Zoom Interview
Why wasn't I successful?

How to shine in a Zoom Interview

Hiring managers have adapted with speed to the new realities of social distancing and have moved from face to face to online interviews. To excel in virtual interviews, it’s important to realise that they’re a different beast. This new form of interview requires adapting your style in order to make them work effectively for you.

Here are 6 tips to help you maximise your presence in virtual interviews and to make that vital connection with the hiring manager.

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Interview Coaching

Executive Interview Coaching

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Maybe you haven’t interviewed in several years and you’re rusty or you’re already good at interviews but want to get that extra edge to land you the job.

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Laura McGrath - Executive Coach