Interview nerves affect over 90% of jobseekers. No matter your experience or how many interviews you’ve done, it’s a stress everyone can relate to.
Executive-level job interviews do more than just assess your ability to carry out the responsibilities of the role. They dig deeper to find out what kind of a leader you are, how you’ll manage a team, and how your experience will be an asset to the company.
Here is our guide on how to prepare for an executive job interview.
Do your research
The first step to a successful interview is in-depth research on the company you’re applying for.
Look at revenue statistics to understand their growth and any media announcements to learn about existing and upcoming projects. This will help you understand the future direction the company wishes to take.
For example, if the business is prioritising sustainability initiatives and you have experience leading change in this area, prepare the evidence you have to bring up in your interview which demonstrates that you understand their objectives and can contribute effectively.
You should also research the professional network around the organisation. If you know someone with senior management experience there, reach out to find out more about how the organisation works and any key information that you should know.
A company’s online presence can be an indicator of company culture. Look at websites, LinkedIn and social media activities to better understand how you’re a good fit to work there.
Preparing for a presentation
Senior-level positions can often require candidates to deliver a presentation. This shows employers your expertise and speaking skills: both of which are essential for any high-level role.
You may be asked to present on:
- A specific topic relevant to the industry or position you’re applying for
- A strategy plan relevant to your role
- Research findings
- Your professional experience
No matter the theme, the most important step is preparation. Carry out research, create engaging slides to accompany your presentation, and practice, practice, practice!
Find out if there’s a time limit you need to stick to and prepare answers to any questions you think could be asked based on your content.
At The CV Guru, we work with presentation expert and public speaking coach Kyle Murtagh to help our clients build confidence, sharpen their skills, and banish presentation nerves for good.
Executive-level job interview questions
You will be asked a variety of questions at an executive-level interview.
The purpose of these questions is to understand what you bring to the table as a candidate; your ambitions, experience, leadership style, and results you have generated in other roles.
Throughout all of these questions, be as specific as possible with your answers. Use metrics where possible to quantify your successes.
We recommend using the STAR system, which is where you explain:
- The Situation you faced;
- The Task you had to complete;
- The Actions you took;
- The Result of your decision-making.
Skills-based questions
Skills-based questions are the foundation of any senior job interview.
This is an opportunity to display the best of your years of leadership experience, taking particular note of any abilities highlighted in the job description.
These questions also typically cover your qualifications, including education, training courses, software, and other credentials you’ve earned throughout your career.
Quantify your qualifications with concrete examples of how they have helped you excel in previous roles.
Skills-based questions may include:
- How did you increase revenue/efficiency/productivity in a previous role?
- What new initiatives have you introduced in a company/changes have you made to an organisational structure?
- How have you overcome conflict or crisis in a previous role?
Competency questions
Competency questions will focus on sought-after soft skills. No matter the industry, there are certain key traits that all employers will be looking for to fill leadership positions, such as:
- Communication
- Creativity
- Adaptability
For executive-level positions, these questions will give prospective employers a better idea of your management skills and how you motivate other employees.
Competency questions may include:
- How have you built relationships with your team in the past?
- How do you evaluate employee performance, and manage high-performers / underachievers?
- What change have you delivered?
- What experience do you have in creating Target Operating Models?
Opinion questions
Opinion questions give potential employers a chance to hear your ideas for the company and for you to demonstrate your knowledge of current trends in the industry.
For example, this could include discussions around emerging technology or trends you would need to manage as part of your role.
Interviewers may also present hypothetical scenarios to understand how you manage conflict or other obstacles in the workplace.
In this case, you should cover the advantages and disadvantages, explain how you would respond, and include relevant examples of how you have dealt with similar issues before.
This could include:
- The initiatives you would implement in your first 30/60/90 days
- What the company is doing well, and what they could improve
- How you would respond to hypothetical workplace situations
Personal questions
When hiring for executive-level positions, employers also want to know who you are and why you’re applying for the role, to understand if you’re a good cultural fit.
This can include the ‘Tell me about yourself’ question that often trips people up. Candidates at all levels should think about this question in advance. It’s a common method of introducing who you are – even for senior roles.
Talk about your recent professional experience and take the chance to describe some accomplishments you’re proud of as well as goals for the future.
Here are some of the personal questions you may be asked:
- What parts of your work do you get the most satisfaction from/find most challenging?
- Why do you want to work for our company? What makes you a good fit?
- What is your vision for your future career?
When you undertstand how to prepare for an executive job interview, you can transform the experience from a source of stress to an exciting opportunity to show employers why you’re the right person for the role.
If you’re looking for more support with job interviews to help you move up the career ladder, check out our Interview and Presentation Coaching services. Our expert partners can take you through every step of the process, from interview preparation to creating engaging presentations.
And if you require some assistance in creating an executive-level CV to showcase your achievements and increase your chances of being invited to interview, our senior writers would love to help.