Master
List:
Executive
Interview Questions
The candidate interview remains a
pivotal factor in the hiring process
for virtually all organizations. While it might not deserve all the
credit it gets, the job interview is the best forum for the
candidate to tell the story of his career to a hiring manager.
The one-on-one meeting allows the hiring manager to determine a
person’s “fit” within a group. It also enables the hiring manager and
senior candidate to get to know each other on a personal level. The
candidate interview is essential for creating an emotional connection
between the candidate and the people he could work with.
The questions below have been compiled by executive
recruiters with many years of experience. Hiring managers are free to
use any or all of the material for their own personal use. Please do not publish the material since it took
much effort and many years to create -- and is protected by
copyright.
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 1
Career
Basics
1. Please tell me the story of your interesting career, position by position.
2. Which was your favourite job in your career?
3. Tell me which was the worst job you’ve ever had?
4. What do you feel are the greatest accomplishments of your career?
5. What are your greatest strengths?
6. What are your greatest weaknesses?
7. What are the main reasons for your success?
8. What types of problems do you struggle with?
9. How did you come to join your current company?
10. Describe a typical day or week in your current role.
11. What parts of your job do you enjoy?
12.
What do you think is the most important aspect of your job?
13. Could you have done better in your last job?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 2
Leadership
Experience
1. Would you classify yourself as a born leader?
2. When was your first leadership experience?
3. Describe your management style.
4. In what ways are you different from other managers?
5. What do you look for in people that you hire?
6. What makes you angry at work?
7. How do you develop morale in the people who report to you?
8. How do you support behaviour that you would like repeated?
9. What is a tolerable number of absentee days from work?
10. How have you gone about reorganizing a department that you led?
11. Describe how you led a team to become more effective.
12. Tell me how you have created a shared purpose among people
who initially differed in opinions or objectives.
13.
Describe how your last few promotions come about?
14.
What is the most likely next progression at your current company?
15.
When have you transformed your own role to meet company needs?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 3
People
Development
1. How experienced are you as a developer of people?
2. Who have you developed who was later promoted?
3. What decisions and activities do you delegate?
4. How much direction and feedback do you require to be
successful?
5. How do you develop the untapped potential in your employees?
6. What key skills are required to develop successful managers?
7. What process do you take to address underperforming employees?
8. At what point do you terminate an underperforming employee?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 4
Relationships
1. What defines a good client relationship?
2. How do you build strong client relationships?
3. Tell me about times you built support from people over whom you had no authority.
4. Describe how you go about developing relationships when you are new to an organization.
5. How would you describe your relationship with your boss?
6. How would you describe your relationships with your staff?
7. Are you active in your industry or your community?
8. Are you friends with any of your competitors?
9. Tell me about a situation when your work was severely criticized.
10. What would you do if another manager was harming your results?
11.
In what manner do you confront staff whose results are inadequate?
12. What do you say about your boss’s “great idea” that you don’t think is so great?
13. How do you show you appreciate people as individuals rather than for what they do for you?
14. How do you handle conflict when it comes from your client?
15. Describe a situation where you worked under extreme pressure.
16. What do you do if someone takes credit for ideas that
you conceived?
17.
Describe a very challenging
political situation you dealt with at work.
18. Do you only want to work with A
players or do you think there is a place for B players as well?
19. How do you resolve serious conflict when it occurs in your staff?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 5
Communication
Skills
1. How would your staff rate your communication skills?
2. Can you give me a brief sales pitch for your main product or service?
3. Explain the internal structure of your company and where you are in it?
4. Why does someone buy your product instead of someone else's?
5. Do you participate in creating proposals or other written materials of your company?
6. Are you confident speaking in front of a group?
7. Do you write your own presentations, speeches and articles?
8. When could it be necessary to withhold information from staff members who report to you?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 6
Commitment
1. How would others describe your work ethic?
2. Have you ever suffered for doing what you thought was right?
3. What was the toughest decision you ever had to make?
4. How many hours per week do you normally work?
5. How do you feel about working nights and weekends?
6. What is the maximum amount of travel you are comfortable with?
7. Can you cope in an unstructured workplace?
8. Have you had experience terminating people?
9. What are some justifiable and unjustifiable reasons to miss work?
10. Have you ever been absent from work for more than a few days?
11. What would be the circumstances when you would consider
it right to divulge confidential information?
13.
Describe something you did that lost
your employer money.
14. Have you ever taken a very
unpopular position or action because of something you believed?
15. Have you ever disagreed with your manager about something important? What did you do?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 7
Results
Focus
1. Describe how you exceeded expectations in your current
role?
2. What lasting value have you
created for your organization?
3. What is the most difficult part of your job?
4. What major challenges do you currently face?
5.
Describe an organizational transformation that you led?
6. How do you monitor your staff's day-to-day work progress?
7. Tell me about a very stressful situation that you managed well.
8. Tell me about a situation that you could have managed better.
9. Describe a very successful project you led and how results were measured.
10. On projects that fall behind, how do you get them back on track?
11.
What did you do to increase company revenues at your current
company?
12.
What did you do to reduce expenses at your current company?
13.
Can you tell me about your most recent performance review?
14.
Are you used to gaining permission for new projects or do you
try to move ahead on your own?
15.
What types of controls do you use to ensure projects are completed?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 8
Sales
Ability
1. How does your sales team rank in the industry?
2.
What are the main sales objections you and your sales people face?
3.
What closing style do you emphasize for your sales people?
4.
How did your group achieve quota during the past year?
5.
When you were unable to meet quota in the past, what did you do?
6.
How much does sales production vary among your sales
people?
7.
How long is your sales cycle?
8.
How many prospects do your sales people see before a sale is made?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 9
Strategic
Thinking
1. Are there ways you could have improved your career progress?
2. Have you ever considered starting your own business?
3. How would you evaluate your present firm in its industry?
4. What are the 3 main strategic issues facing your organization?
5. Describe an action you are taking to address a major strategic issue?
6. How would you evaluate your boss and the people you work with?
7. What might you bring to my company that is unique?
8. How have you improved yourself in the past year?
9. What are the main trends in your industry right now?
10. What are the biggest opportunities in your industry?
11. What are the biggest risks to your industry?
12. Describe your main competitors and what they do well?
13. What are your thoughts with: "the customer is always right?"
14. Describe your ideal company and position.
15. Where would you like to be in 5 years?
16. When do you plan to retire?
17. What do you worry about for your business and your career?
18.
In what ways might you stand out from your peers?
19.
What might your boss say that makes you most valuable?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 10
Career
Stability
1. Please explain the reasons behind your various job
changes.
2. Do you think you have too many job changes or too few?
3.
Were any of your job changes the result of general lay-offs?
If so, explain how events unfolded?
4. Have you
ever been terminated or been passed over for promotion?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 11
Personal
Ideals
1. What do you think about work/life balance?
2. Who are some of your closest friends? What do they do?
3. How would your friends describe you?
4. How much alcohol do you consume?
5. What would you do if you did not need money?
6. What would you have done differently in your life?
7. Would you be able to relocate quickly?
8. Who has inspired you in your life and why?
9. What are your hobbies?
10. What books have you read lately?
11. What did you do for your last vacation?
12. Are you interested in sports?
13. How would you describe your financial situation?
14. What's your opinion on politics (or some other divisive subject)?
15. What work environment is most desirable for you?
16. Could you report to a younger person (or a minority person)?
17. What action do you take when an employee is caught stealing?
18. Tell me about your most frustrating experience over the past year.
19.
Describe the ideal organization you would like to work with.
20. What is the proper role/mission of a good manager?
21. What is the proper role/mission of a company in its community?
22.
Would you tell a lie for your employer?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 12
Compensation
1. What is your current compensation and how is it constructed?
2.
How is your bonus and/or commission structured?
3. Do you feel your compensation is above or below the market?
4. What are your expectations for future compensation?
5. When did you earn your highest income?
6. What would you like to be earning in 3 years?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 13
Position
Specifics
1. What do you know about our company's products and industry?
2. What interests you about the possible position?
3. Do you think you have suitable experience for the role?
4. What do you view as your disadvantages with the position
we are interviewing you for?
5.
Are you over- or under-qualified for this position?
6. What do you think about working at our company?
7. What have you heard that is negative about our company?
8. What changes would you make if you came on board?
Executive
Interview Questions: Section 14V
Current
Job Status
1. How difficult will it be for you to leave your current company?
2. Why are you leaving (or did you already leave) this position?
3. Does your employer know you are looking?
4. Where else are you interviewing?
5. Do you have other offers you are considering?
6. What are your career options right now?
7. What references could you give us?
Hiring
Leaders
Download
this e-book to learn all you need to know to
get the best people on your bus and drive it to greatness.
A global manager's failsafe
guide to dominating any industry
by employing its dominant
people.
DOWNLOAD Hiring
Leaders now!
New sections are being added so
check back regularly.
Send your comments and
suggestions to
hiringleaders@chalre.com
Executive Search
& Management Consulting:
Chalre
Associates provides its Executive Search and Recruiting services throughout the emerging countries of the Asia Pacific
region with specific focus on Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos.
We are
proactive and well known in our sectors of focus. Regional
Managers use us to help bridge the gap between local environments and
the world-class requirements of multinational corporations.
C
o n t a c t U s
+ 632 822 4129 leaders@chalre.com
Asia
CEO Forum
Asia
CEO Forum presented by PLDT ALPHA Enterprise is the largest
regular business event in Philippines and considered one of the
most important in the Southeast Asia region. The forum serves as a
hub for the spreading of ideas that help executive managers
overseeing enterprises across the Asia Pacific region.
Attendees are both expatriate and Asian management personnel
overseeing multinational and regional organizations. Held in
Philippines, presenters are leaders in their industries and
engaged in momentous pursuits of significance to the entire
region.
Asia
CEO Forum is operated as a CSR (Corporate Social
Responsibility) activity of Chalre Associates, one of Southeast
Asia's most prominent senior management executive search firms, to
promote Philippines as a premier business destination in the Asia
region.
Click
Here to go to Asia
CEO Forum now!
Asia
CEO Awards
Asia
CEO Awards presented by Aseana City represents the
grandest alliance of local and international business people ever
created to promote Philippines on the world stage. As one of the
largest events of its kind in the Asia Pacific region, it is
considered a must-attend occasion for business leaders active in
Southeast Asia.
The star-studded Board of Judges of Asia CEO Awards give
away 10 awards to many of the most accomplished leadership teams
and individuals currently operating in Philippines and the region.
The awards recognize extraordinary leaders who have demonstrated
outstanding achievement for their organizations and contributions
to others.
As one of the fastest growing nations on the planet, the world's
business leaders have their eyes on Philippines like never before.
The annual gala was established as a natural outgrowth of Asia
CEO Forum, the largest regular networking event for the
business community in Philippines.
Click
Here
to go to Asia
CEO Awards now!
SPECIAL DOWNLOADS:
Media organizations
throughout the world call upon the Principals of Chalre Associates for thought leadership.
Below are some examples of published material written by our
consultants or international journalists who refer to them. For a complete list of published work,
Click Here.
Getting Ready For The
Deluge: Outsourcing in Philippines
by
Chalre Associates senior staff
Download
[PDF
file, 62KB]
The
Economist Intelligence Unit of the Economist magazine
asked Chalre Associates' Chairman, Richard Mills,
to write a chapter about the Philippine outsourcing sector
in its annual Business Guide Book. The material
provides a Executive Briefing on the progress and major
issues facing this industry that is certainly one of most
significant growth stories in the world.
more
Asia Pacific Mining
Conference 2007 - Report
by
Chalre Associates senior staff
Download
[PDF
file, 28KB]
The 7th Asia Pacific Mining Conference put on by the Asean
Federation of Mining Associations was perhaps the largest
such event in the region. Richard Mills, Chairman of Chalre Associates
gave this report on what was said by the prominent mining
people who presented.
more
The
State of BPO in Philippines: Dan Reyes Speaks
by
Chalre Associates senior staff
Download
[PDF
file, 31KB]
Richard
Mills, Chairman of Chalre Associates,
interviewed Dan Reyes of Sitel for ComputerWorld (US) recently to get
his views on the state of the BPO industry in Philippines. Dan
presented US readers with compelling information to support his view
that Philippines is currently seen as the "Number 1" option by global
companies sending BPO work to offshore destinations.
Dan Reyes is easily one of most experienced Business Process
Outsourcing (BPO) managers in the Asia Pacific region and the world. He
is head of the extremely successful Philippine operations of Sitel, the
world's largest call center organization. Among other things, he is a
founder and former president of the Business Processing Association of
the Philippines. more