INTERVIEW ADVICE FOR EXECUTIVES: LISTEN FOR WHAT IS NOT SAID
Comments (0) Executive interveiws are very different from interviews for individual contributors. Aside from different interview questions, the answers to common questions are different. To move from candidate to prospective employee requires you listen to what is really being asked.
Carl, a CFO candidate complained the CEO asked him the same question three different ways. What Carl missed is the CEO was not satisfied with the answer the first time and worse, that the answer to that question was the gate to being taken seriously.
In another situation, Suzanne noticed every person who interviewed her asked the same question. She said it all felt so rehearsed and she gave the same answer each time. What she missed is the answer to the question was very important to the company as a whole and that the answer needed to be different depending on who was asking.
The VP Marketing wants to hear how you will create products he can leverage into existing markets, the CFO wants to know how those products will affect shareholder value and the Sales VP wants to know how customers will respond. But they all asked the same question: What strategy do you feel fits a good product life extension program?
When a question is asked repeatedly, understand it is very important. When several people ask the same question, know to answer in terms of their agenda. Any pat answers will be dismissed. Practice is the best remedy for solving this interview puzzle.
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