Whats The First Thing Youd Do If Given The Job
If the candidate can answer this question well, it shows they have a deep knowledge of the company and understanding of the position and what theyll be able to bring – both aspects of a great executive candidate.
This is also a great way to distinguish confident candidates who would have an impact from the get-go. If they can outline exactly what they are planning to accomplish with this role, that might give you a better idea of who would be the best fit for what you are trying to achieve.
Whats The One Question You Were Hoping I Wouldnt Ask
Theres no hiding place with this one. This question will get the candidate thinking and force them into a corner. By asking this question in the interview, you challenge the candidate to find a question that makes them uncomfortable.
This challenge should bring the best out of an executive and uncover the points they might rather not talk about. It also demonstrates whether an applicant is comfortable putting themselves in the shoes of other stakeholders a key skill for any executive.
Depending on their answer, youll be able to identify those who avoid addressing difficult subjects and those who dont.
Do You Think Working With Other Departments Is Important
A good candidate should be able to collaborate well with other staffs and departments.
Tip #1: Display that you can work with other people
Tip #2: Dont contemplate your answers
Sample Answer:
Yes, it is very important to keep up good teamwork with other departments. Unwilling collaboration with one department may affect the quality of the service or products which will eventually affect the growth of the company as a whole. It is encouraged to regularly share feedback from other departments to further boost the quality produced.
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Tips On Interviewing For A Director Of Nursing Position In Long
If youre interviewing for a director of nursing position at a long-term care facility, prepare to sell the interviewer not only on your clinical knowledge, but also on your managerial and people skills. Employers want to see that you can effectively lead the organization, by motivating staff, solving problems and maintaining positive relationships with residents and their families.
How To Prepare For Interviews:
Always practice for the interviews by performing in front of the mirror and with audios and videos you can also take suggestions and feedback from faithful friends about your appearance and non-verbal behavior and language.
Be impromptu and vivacious with a reply for everything and a solution for every difficulty. But never be over-enthusiastic and over-confident in your replies and do not always begin answers with me and my as it reflects that you are excessively focused on yourself and will not perform well in group projects.
This will be a difficulty in selection since successful group work is a necessity for success. Imagine yourself as a key block for the progress and further building of the company it will boost the confidence levels to a large extent and help to create your role and responsibilities in the company.
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What Has Been Your Biggest Challenge And How Did You Overcome It
This can tie in nicely to the last question, and thats because every Managing Director will have had to face significant challenges to achieve their company goals, and if they havent youll probably have to question if their goals were ambitious enough in the first place. We know that theres nothing wrong with admitting to struggling or feeling challenged with something, and showing how you overcame such a challenge can be very impressive. Asking this is important to ensure that the person youre interviewing is aware of and open about what they found to be challenging, and how they are able to tackle such issues in a way that will instil confidence in you should they face similar challenges in your role.
Inform Your Professional References That You Are Interviewing
Most recruiters or hiring managers will check in with the professional references of executive-level candidates. To ensure your professional references are not taken by surprise and are prepared, keep them informed of your interview plans. You can also send them your most up-to-date resume to make sure that they are on the same page as the potential employer you are interviewing with.
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Q: How Do You Monitor The Performance Of Your It Team
A large part of a director-level role in IT is organizing and monitoring your teams performance. Therefore, interviewers will want to see that you have a system for setting goals, monitoring progress, and addressing productivity issues.
How to answer:
- Explain what metrics matter most to you. For example, you might talk about your approach to tracking uptime and system reliability. This is also an excellent opportunity to front-load how you think success should be measured, such as helpdesk response times, user satisfaction, or strategic goals.
- Show both technical and management skills. IT directors need to be data-driven when it comes to both IT infrastructure and team productivity. Explain your process for monitoring team performance, such as tracking productivity metrics and conducting regular one-on-ones.
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Q: What Software And Hardware Are You Most Familiar With
Information technology directors need a deep understanding of technical solutions both hardware and software. However, no one wants to hear a laundry list response to a question like this. Pro tip: Scope out the companys tech stack with a service like BuiltWith or StackShare.
How to answer:
- Explain technical skills with confidence. Director-level candidates should have no problem explaining the technical skills and tools theyve used throughout their careers. You can also use this question to show your willingness to learn new technologies.
- Use non-technical language for technical concepts. IT directors will need to know how to speak with less technical stakeholders. You must be able to describe and teach technical concepts to coworkers who are less comfortable with them.
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What Is Your Leadership Approach To Managing Diverse Teams And Being Sensitive To And Inclusive Of All Your Staff
Dont answer this question by simply spouting off the talking points from your last diversity training. You need to show your interviewers how your values of diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice play out in the workplace, says Tameka Nikki Andrews, who has managed teams in nonprofits, tech, finance, and advertising has extensive experience with DEI work and is now the founder of the creative consulting agency Flannel and Blade. As a manager, you might supervise employees across spectrums of gender, race, sexuality, age, class, and more, Andrews says. So she says companies want to know: How are you going to make sure that your own biases and narratives dont negatively impact the way you manage people? and How do you effectively create a healthy and productive…team, when everyone is so different from one another?
As a manager, it is your responsibility to be self-aware and educated on DEI best practices in hiring, performance reviews, and conflict management. Weve all seen what can happen if you dont educate yourself on DEI as a leader, Andrews says. Leaders with unexamined unconscious biases perpetuate the passing over and/or silencing of people of color, the stealing of ideas , and the proliferation of microaggressions ranging from sexually inappropriate to racially insensitive comments, to name a few.
Top 5 General Director Of Finance Interview Questions And Answers
General interview questions allow the interviewer to assess a candidates character and personality. This helps your employer make sure your character aligns with the companys goals. Here are some common general interview questions and answers for a director of finance.
What makes you different from every other finance director? Whats the strength that makes you stand out?
This question offers you the chance to sell yourself to your potential employer. Make sure you summarize your skills and experience and the value you would add to the company. This is also a chance to speak of skills and abilities outside of the financial sector that make you a well-rounded individual. This might be a good opportunity to emphasize your social skills or leadership philosophy.
Why do you think youre a perfect match for our company and our values?
A successful interview process is all about finding the best fit for the job. You want to demonstrate that you fit the job description and the company culture. Make sure you research the company beforehand and you understand its mission and vision. Highlight the ways in which your personal values align with the company values.
What motivates you as a professional?
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Venus, Software Engineer at Rockbot
What other industries are you looking into?
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What Are Some Things That You Would Like To Achieve Working For Us As An Hr Director
Do you have some goals that you wish to achieve in this position? What track record do you want to leave in your time as an HR director? Your answer should convince the interviewer that you are enthusiastic about this position and already have a few things that you would like to achieve.
Sample Answer
I intend to help the company get and retain exceptional industry talents. Id also love to improve our promotion structure and employee benefits so that everybody goes home happy at the end of the day. Above all, I plan to help the organization meet its mission and objectives and attain its visions.
What Kind Of Strategies And Mindset Is Required For This Role
A good candidate who is serious about getting the job should envision what they have to do once they are hired.
Tip #1: Be specific in the strategies
Tip #2: Be confident and not hesitate with the answers
Sample Answer:
The mindset that I have for this job is to emphasise good communication with others. Aside from sustaining good partnership and collaboration, it is very crucial to ensure that all messages are clearly conveyed. Good and effective communication will lead to expected outcomes as well as ensuring longer-term trust.
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Director Of Engineering Interview Questions
With established organizational policies and objectives in mind, directors of engineering, or engineering directors, run all of the engineering activities and projects within organizations.
When interviewing directors of engineering, the most suitable candidate will display exceptional communication skills, thorough understanding of the role, and outstanding insight into the industry with confidence and enthusiasm.
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What Other Jobs Are You Considering
For the most part, candidates should be looking for jobs in similar fields. It doesnt matter if theyre looking at other companies or even other niches within a specific skill set.
What might raise a warning flag would be if theyve applied for non-managerial jobs as well as the manager position in your business.
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Laura: Interview For A Job You Dont Want
Dont do me any favours by turning up to a job interview that you dont want as it is a waste of your time, my time and the clients time. If I have done my job properly then you will only be turning up to the interview because you have done enough research on the company and opportunity to know that you are attending the interview because you want that job offer. By working closely with me, you know that I will always listen to your needs as well as the clients needs and if I secure you an interview its because I have understood what you are looking for in terms of your next career move and I will do everything possible to ensure that the client-candidate match is right.
Why Are You Interested In This Job
This common starting question may provide if the candidate is really motivated to work as part of the company or just applying.
Tip #1: Be confident and specific
Tip #2: Display your knowledge and familiarity with the job
Sample Answer:
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I hold a masters degree in personnel management. I am highly interested to contribute myself in this field hence when I saw this position, I thought it would be a great opportunity for me. This would be a chance for me to apply my knowledge which could benefit the company aside from further evolving my career path.
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What Are Your Salary Expectations
At this point in the interview process, the candidate shouldnt answer with a specific number. Rather, you want to hear that the individual is focused on finding the best fit for their skills and abilities.
Talking dollars should come at the end of the face-to-face interview or even in a second interview if thats what it takes.
This kind of trick question can tell you a lot about whether the candidate is right for your company.
What Would You Do To An Underperforming Staff
This question displays candidates leadership and communication skills in managing other staff.
Tip #1: Be professional
Tip #2: Show that you understand your staffs consequences without crossing their privacy
Sample Answer:
I will first reflect on my directions. Were my instructions and expectations were expressed clearly? Do other staffs face the same issues? If more than one staff is showing underperformance, I may need to fix my instructions. However, if that staff is the only one affected, I need to approach the person to pinpoint the root of the problem professionally.
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Bonus: Questions You Should Never Ask During An Interview
- Information that can be found through a simple Google search. Interview questions such as, What does your company do? or Who is your competition? make you look like you did not do your research and are not serious about your candidacy.
- Gossip. If you have heard something through the grapevine that makes you doubt the company’s financial strength, ask your question in a non-confrontational way. Instead of, Why are you about to lay off 1,000 employees next month?, ask the hiring manager for his or her opinion about how well positioned the company is for the future.
- Pay, raises, and promotions. All of that will be discussed as part of the offer and salary negotiations during the interview process. It’s best to avoid questions that make you look too cocky, or paint the picture of someone who makes the decision based primarily on money.
- Background checks. Assume that the company will run a background check as part of the pre-offer due diligence. Asking this question makes you look like you have something to hide.
- Email or social media monitoring. Assume that the company monitors network usage in some way. The internet has a long memory and written comments have a way of getting around. Play it safe and don’t use the company’s network in ways that can make you look unprofessional.
- Deeply personal or invasive questions. You don’t want to make the interviewer feel uncomfortable or defensive.
Prepare And Rehearse Your Answers To The Tough Questions
Here are some interviewing FAQs:
- What is your greatest strength?
- What is your greatest weakness?
- Why did you leave your job, or why were you laid off?
- How do you handle stress and pressure?
- Describe a decision you made that was unpopular and how you dealt with implementing it.
- Describe a decision that you made, or a situation that you were involved in, that was a failure.
- What has been the greatest disappointment in your career?
- What kind of leader are you?
- How do you create a team spirit where everyone feels engaged?
- How do you put in place the best processes to get things done?
- Why do you want this job?
- Why are you the best person for the job?
- What are your goals for the next 5 years, and the next 10 years? How do you expect to achieve them?
- What are your salary expectations both long-term and short-term?
And one of my favorites How did you prepare for this interview?
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Paul: Plan Prepare Practice
Whether you are filling in an application form, researching a target company, talking to a headhunter or going to an interview, the candidates who get jobs will be the ones who have done their homework, 100%. A lack of interview preparation is the underlying reason why most, potentially suitable, candidates fail. This preparation sounds like hard work and might take you several evenings, but once youve undertaken the STAR exercise make sure you record and save your competencies and continue to build on the list as you progress through your career. I promise youll reap the benefits.
How Boards Interview Ceo Candidates
Leader, CEO Practice, Spencer Stuart Board Director Author, Leading at a Distance
When we work with boards of directors to help them prepare to interview CEO candidates, we develop an interview guide that will organize the conversation, which typically runs for 90 minutes. While interviews are only one step in a CEO hiring process, along with in-depth referencing and executive assessments, it is not an over-statement to say that they are the lynch-pin in the process.
Boards and search committees will always put credence in analyzing track records and relevant experience, reviewing written reports, and talking to referees. But it is in the interview where chemistry is established and essential intangibles like passion, energy, and fit are determined. As a result, at the CEO level, as well as at every step in your career, being a strong interviewer is a major advantage.
In conducting CEO candidate interviews, many questions posed by a search committee are, of course, customized to the companys particular situation. But many of the questions are based on the essential areas in which a CEO needs to demonstrate capability: strategy and vision growth, financial, and operational management leadership and team building and Culture.
Here is the interview guide that we recently created for a board as part of a public company CEO search.
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