Senior Management Interviews – What qualities do you need to show to get the job?

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?

Show your adaptability in the interview

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change.”  (Darwin)

This is especially true in an era where technological advancement and climate change are reshaping the way we live, work and connect with those around us.

Presenting yourself as someone who’s not only open to change but keeps themselves abreast of new ideas and future trends will position you as a flexible, innovative thinker. Be ready to talk about your networking skills and showcase how you link in with industry experts to learn the latest developments. Highlight how you reduce siloed thinking and build a strategic perspective by fostering strong cross functional relationships.

Remember, education is a life long journey. Employers will be looking for evidence that you’re proactive in keeping yourself up to date. This can include pursuing formal academic qualifications to further enhance your skills or looking for feedback from colleagues to help build self-awareness and room for growth.

Highlight how you can influence stakeholders

Hybrid working has changed work rhythms and how we interface with colleagues. Leading these organisational changes requires creating a vision for the future, influencing, managing resistance and building alliances.

In your interview have examples to hand where you’ve successfully lead change initiatives, winning hearts and minds. Showcase where you’ve met challenges and how through active listening, understanding the other party’s perspective and leading with a solutions focused approach, you reached an outcome that was in the best interest of the business.

Let the hiring manager see your resilience

Your ability to regulate yourself and avoid burnout is critical in a fast moving environment. As a leader, you’re the heartbeat of the team as well as the role model, living the behaviours you expect from them.

It’s important to show how you create a culture of safety for your team, encouraging openness and fostering an atmosphere where both asking for help and calling out mistakes are encouraged.

Conclusion

So before you go to your next executive interview, be ready to demonstrate your skills in these three areas. By doing this you’ll prove that not only are you the right leader for the current role, but you that you can successfully navigate volatile environments and harness the energy of your team to deliver results on a continuous basis into the future.

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.