Ace Your Next Interview: The Executive Recruiter

My last two posts have been focused on preparation to help you with the experienced, highly competent interviewer, as well as the not-so-competent.   Whereas those posts were about interviews you might expect from the employer it makes sense to talk about the type of interview process you should expect from a third party Executive Recruiter.  It may be useful to talk about my process, which I believe to be fairly representative of our field.


Prior to introducing any candidate to my client I complete this three-part interview process:

• Preliminary conversation
• In-depth interview
• Follow-up conversation

The starting point for my search assignments is the Position Specification provided by the client.  This document is a combination of a traditional Job Description plus a description of the ideal candidate’s profile.  Additionally, the client often includes a list of personal attributes which they believe will ensure the best fit with their culture.  I use this document as my road map.  The candidates I consider must have backgrounds that match the client’s requirements.


The preliminary conversation is scheduled for 20 minutes.  During this time I work to ensure that the candidate’s expectations for compensation and job requirements are aligned with the client.  I want to know that the candidate will relocate if required.  I also want to understand the candidate’s motivation to consider the job in question.  During this time I am evaluating the candidate’s professional demeanor.  If the candidate passes muster during this process I will reveal the name of the client and send her relevant information, including the position specs.  I give the candidate time to do her due-diligence to ensure that this job fits her career goals.   If the candidate does not align properly we agree to end the discussion at that point.   I ask for permission to add her email address to my mailing list, keeping her advised of new opportunities as they develop.


When the candidate is ready to proceed we schedule the in-depth interview.  Depending on the location of the candidate this interview may be in person, or over the phone.  I allow 60 minutes for the in-depth interview.   The first half of our time is devoted to listening to the candidate present his history in his own way.   I want to understand the decisions he has made managing his career.  Why did he change jobs?  Why did he join a particular company?  What kind of experience was he looking for?  I want to understand his successes and challenges.  I want to learn about building and managing effective teams and employees he has developed for promotion.   Most successful people have given a lot of thought to their careers.  They know their strengths and weaknesses.  They understand their ideal type of work and corporate culture.  This insight is important to me!


During the in-depth, I am evaluating the candidate’s communication skills; specifically the ability to present their career story in a compelling way.  I want to be certain that the candidate’s communication skills fit the client’s expectations.   After all, effective communication is likely the most important skill required of a Senior Executive.  When the candidate is finished presenting his history I use the remaining time to gain clarification and complete housekeeping duties like recording a salary history.   If this conversation goes well then I advise the candidate as to when I plan to present his credentials.  If it does not go well I will let him know.


The follow-up interview is usually short, targeted to gain specific information to help me complete my candidate’s introduction to the client.  That introduction includes a point by point justification as to how the candidate meets the client’s requirements, as well as her resume.  There are other aspects to my candidate validation process which I will describe in next week’s post.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.


Jim Weber, President
New Century Dynamics Executive Search
www.newcenturydynamics.com

Ace Your Next Interview: The Well-Trained Interviewer

Last week’s post was directed at helping you with an inexperienced, untrained interviewer.  Unfortunately, you are likely to meet those folks far more often than the experienced, well-trained interviewer.   The suggestions I provided last week are also useful when talking with a competent interviewer.   And let’s face it, you probably will not know in advance the competency of your interviewer so prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Speaking of well-trained, highly competent interviewers, I can thank my colleague, Stan for this week’s topic.  When reviewing my post with Stan last week, he asked me what “knock-out” questions I used in my interviews.   I was confident that I knew what he meant, but just to be sure, I asked him for an explanation.  A highly useful interview question, I did not want to make any poor assumptions.   Stan told me that he used a few interview questions that if poorly answered would eliminate the candidate from further consideration.  He provided the following examples.

1.     If we hire you, what is your plan for the next 30, 60, and 90 days?

2.     Why should we hire you instead of the other highly qualified candidates in the queue?

3.     Why do you want to work here?

4.     What motivates you more, the thrill of winning or the fear of losing?

As it turns out, Stan and I were on the same page however, my methodology gets to the “knock-out” issue (suitability for the job) in a different way, which may become  another blog post.  These questions are meant to learn how the candidate will approach her work and how she might set priorities.   They surface issues which the candidate should have given serious consideration and preparation to discuss.  The response gives the interviewer insight into the candidate’s thought process.  Additionally, they help the hiring manager gauge the candidates’ interest level for the job in question.   Poor unfocused answers are a big red flag.  If the candidate has not given any thought to these questions then she is likely not a good fit for the job.  “Knock-out” questions help the interviewer validate the candidate’s Executive skills, (ability)  motivation ( interest level) and fit (cultural).

Executive Skills:

•  Strategic thinking
•  Goal Orientation
• Leadership ability
• Technical Proficiency

Motivation

• Self-awareness
• Personal drivers
• Career Goals
• Understands the job and expectations for success
• Is very interested in the job in question

Fit

• Understands and shares our values
• Belief in our product/service/mission
• Experience working in a similar culture

So, the “knock-out” question is meant to qualify/disqualify the candidate on the most fundamental issues of concern to any hiring manager.  A satisfactory answer does not mean that one will get the job.  It is the ante.  The price of poker, so to speak.  They are meant as a starting point to understand the three big questions on the mind of the hiring manager;  1) can he do the job, 2) will he do the job, and 3) will he fit our culture.

An executive recruiter begins with the same fundamental questions.  He may arrive as his answers in a different way, but the result is the same.  If you are not working through a third party recruiter you should give serious consideration as to how you answer these questions, as well.  It would be useful to talk with other experienced hiring managers to understand their knock out questions.

To be successful in front of an experienced interviewer requires preparation.  Give ample thought to the job you seek!  Know the kind of questions interviewers use to qualify candidates at the most fundamental level.   Preparation is the key to success in any endeavor.   Ace your next interview by developing great answers to the obvious ‘knock-out” questions.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

 

Jim Lyons Joins ITBPartners

ITB Partners is pleased to announce that Jim Lyons has joined our team.  Jim has had over 30 years of leadership experience with major restaurant and franchise brands. Jim’s expertise in the area of franchising, restaurant operations leadership, real estate and development has helped franchisers, franchisees and restaurant operators meet their operational, development and financial goals.  Read more...

ITB Partners is a diverse team of experienced leaders, project managers, and discipline experts with an established history of accomplishment, business relationships and networks. We have direct experience successfully working with public companies, Private Equity Groups, start-ups,  acquisitions and turnarounds across a number of industries – specifically restaurant, hospitality, services and retail segments.  

For more information contact Jim Weber at:  Jim.Weber@ITBPartners.com or by telephone at:  770-354-2817

Ace Your Next Interview

Over the past few weeks I had had some interesting conversations with employers who told me of poor experiences with Executive Recruiters.  One situation was with a current client and the other a long-time friend and networking contact who I have not worked for.  In the former case the hiring manager (no longer with the client) hired a candidate who did not rise to my “top three.”  He lasted less than a year and I replaced him pursuant to my agreement.  In fact, the replacement candidate was among the first group of candidates I presented and an all around more suitable hire.  The original hiring manager was not a part of the decision process for the replacement and this candidate is working out just fine.

In the second conversation I was able to ask my friend a few questions about the company’s selection process.  They have no Human Resources Department so the traditional HR functions are spread between the other Department Heads, if at all.   They do not have job descriptions so it was not clear as to how the hiring managers made their selections.  No one has had any formal interviewing skills training.  They do meet as a group to de-brief and arrive at a consensus for each hire.  This is a major positive which can serve as a base to build a better selection process if they chose to do so.  

Most managers I have talked with over the years have not had any formal training in recruiting and selection.  While working for one of my Fortune 500 employers prior to entering the Executive Search field I did receive formal training which I have found to be invaluable.  The biggest problem with the untrained interviewer is that they talk too much.  If the ideal interview is 20% interviewer talking and 80% interviewee talking, they operate in reverse.   Then at the end of the interview they will say that they did not learn anything about the candidate.  Not surprising if they are doing most of the talking.    So, the question is; how do you ace an interview with an untrained interviewer?   The answer, of course, is to help him interview you.  

Fundamentally, the candidate must gain some control over the interview to ensure a favorable result.  To help accomplish this I recommend that my candidates prepare a one page, key accomplishments hand-out which they can present to the interviewer at the beginning of the discussion.  This is a bullet point list of up to ten prioritized accomplishments, in big bold type, that best demonstrates your ability to perform the job in question.  Of course the interviewer has your resume, but this hand-out can become the agenda for the discussion, guiding his questions.   Trust me, they will appreciate the additional information and will be impressed by your preparation for the interview.

In subsequent interviews I have found that a hand-out which summarizes your understanding of the employer’s need is very useful to close the deal.   Personally, I find the following format to be very powerful:

1.     Yesterday:

·        

2.     Today:

·        

3.     Tomorrow:

·        

This is a great way to demonstrate that you understand where the company has been; where they are today; and where they want to go.   If you are a little off base the interviewer will point that out and give you something more to talk about.   If you are right on target, which you should be if you have been listening and doing your homework, you will totally impress the interviewer with you grasp of their needs.  The assumption will be that if you understand their situation, you will be effective in the job.  

So, if you want to do well with trained or untrained interviewers, help them interview you by the use of visual aids to focus the conversation.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com

Conclusion: Pre-Planning Alignment; The Right Way to Start a New Job

Day two of our consulting project began with a check-in regarding the prior-day’s activities.  The consensus from the floor was that the process held great value for John’s team and they were grateful to have the opportunity to share their thoughts in a non-threatening environment.   Also included were introductions of new participants representing HR, Operations, MarCom, Public Relations, and Financial Planning and Analysis.  Since John’s team could not operate in a vacuum, these relationships are key to the success of the team.  They were included to ensure that they understood the Department’s objectives, the needs to execute those objectives, and generally, to make them a part of the team.  Additionally, their feedback and suggestions during the process proved to be valuable.

After the check-in, Stan provided the set-up to finalizing the team identity.  Stan introduced the concept of building a numeric value for the objective into their Logo and tagline.  Our experience has been that doing so would help keep their focus on the primary objective.  Then the small groups went back to work.  

When the time was up, each team leader presented their work.  The results were impressive.  Their thoughts were much more focused and relevant.  It was evident that there was a lot of talent and creativity in the room.   By the end of the presentations it was clear that they were close to a consensus.  It was time to turn their work over to the professionals and to move on to the next phase of the program, developing the plan.

Stan’s setup up for the Department’s final assignment included six buckets for consideration:  Staffing/Resources; Leadership and Strategy; Culture; Tools and Processes; Opportunities; and Results.  Each group was responsible for brainstorming each of those buckets, listing each idea on a single 3” by 5” Post-it ™ note.  When the allotted time had expired, group leaders placed their ideas in the corresponding buckets, (flip charts placed around the room).  Stan spoke to each bucket list, putting emphasis on the number of common thoughts in each category.  The results were striking.    It was revealing to note the high volume of thoughts around Staffing/Resources, Leadership & Strategy, and Culture, all three categories being closely related.  Tools & Processes, Opportunities, and Results had less than half the volume of Post-it ™ notes.  My takeaway was that the group was sending a clear message that John’s leadership was vital.  They seemed to believe that the Department’s objectives were realistic and attainable so long as they had a Champion leading the way.  I am certain that John viewed this as very favorable.

To wrap up the meeting, Stan recapped the process and talked about next steps.  John summarized his take-away to ensure that the Department knew that he “got it.”  He made a commitment to immediately address some of the more pressing issues and to factor remaining issues into the plan.  As a side note, the next week John gave Stan additional work that included facilitating the Quarterly follow-up meetings, and a few coaching assignments.  

The result of this assignment was a win-win-win.  For a new Executive it is wise to bring in an objective third-party to facilitate team alignment as we come without biases that could taint the results.  Additionally, it is more realistic for the Department personnel to speak freely in front of outsiders who are not in a position to influence their careers.  If you are looking to develop alignment and buy-in, a non-threatening environment is a good place to start.

Thank you for visiting my blog.
Your feedback helps me continue to publish articles that you want to read.  Your input is very important to me so please leave a comment.

Jim Weber, President

New Century Dynamics Executive Search

www.newcenturydynamics.com