Executive Search - The Candidate - Preparing for the Interview

Candidate Mindset:
We know there’s going to be a problem when during our recruiting conversation the candidate boldly announces: “Hey, I’ll be interviewing them (the company) while they’re interviewing me”. As important as this is, it cannot be your mindset! In our experience, the candidate who goes into “interview evaluation mode” – interviewing the client while they themselves were being interviewed – did not get the job. These candidates do not even get a choice. They do not have the opportunity to say “yes” or “no” …because they were not asked back. Make sure you “go for it” during the interview - get the call back, and then, after the interview, as you are driving home, “evaluate” if the opportunity is right for you.

What it means to “go for it”:

• You have researched the company – whether this means perusing their website, talking to existing employees, or reading their annual report, be prepared - know product line, locations, subsidiaries, the executive team, and basic history.

• You have checked out their website or visited their workplace and gotten an appreciation for their culture.

• You are Dressed for Success – even if you are on a phone interview it helps to be feeling and looking your best. As a general rule it is better to overdress than underdress…and nobody gets dinged for being “too conservative”.

• You are upbeat – clients do not respond to candidates who are having a bad day. Candidates who are throwing themselves a pity party don’t get asked back….smile!

• You connect with the client – no, not with artificial comments about the desk photos, or golf handicaps. Be energetic, make good eye contact, have a firm handshake, and engage in meaningful dialogue….you can ask about the kids and the golf game on your way out, once you’ve connected.

• You are able to carry on a conversation – a conversation, not a Question & Answer Period. We work on a multitude of high-level positions, and there is an understood expectation for you to be able to go toe-to-toe with the client – to talk about trends in the industry, what your career vision offers their business, similar experiences, or views on new technology. If you sit back and wait for “the question” without engaging in “a conversation”, we promise, you will not get the job.

• You know who you are – you understand your strengths and how they will benefit the client. You know where you fit…and where you don’t. Don’t be afraid to give an honest assessment of who you are – it lets the client know you are as interested in the right fit as they are. Know your performance track record backward and forward – fostering a strategic conversation about “you” as it relates to their business. This is a must. Too many candidates are not able to articulate their strengths and accomplishments.

• You are able to give examples and tell stories. Imagine a person listing off 15 minutes of facts – listing one item after another. Then imagine a person who spends that same 15 minutes telling a few stories, demonstrating how they’ve handled a situation, or an experience pertinent to the conversation. I guarantee you, the stories will be remembered; the facts, not so much. A good template for telling a story is: give a brief overview of the problem; describe how you solved the problem; and conclude with the end result. (i.e. “…we had an employee who did X, I was able to get the situation turned around by doing Y, the net result is we learned a valuable lesson to do Z the next time”)

• You have supporting documentation - a “brag book” (this is a portfolio of your accomplishments, your “atta boy’s”, your stack rankings, awards, and recognition), references, and a copy of your resume

• You ask questions, especially at the end when the client asks “Do you have any questions?” Sure, you’ve already asked 20…ask one more. We have clients report “I don’t know how engaged they were, they didn’t ask any questions”. The candidate’s response is always “Are you kidding, I asked them throughout the interview, matter-of-fact I asked so many I ran out of questions in the end.” Guess what? The client will not remember the asked questions, he remembers the unasked - you did not engage with a question when he asked you to. The response, “Well, you’ve covered just about everything, I’m all set” will not work – have a good question like “what is your 5 year projection?” prepared and ready to use.

• You demonstrate Personal Power & Presence – If you follow the items on this list (know who you are, dress for success, be prepared, have good questions) you will be well on your way. However, Personal Power & Presence is measured by the bounce in your step, the inflection in your voice, the grip of your handshake, the range of your communication reach, and the intensity in your eyes. It is the “It factor” and can be the single most important element in your interview.