Killer Questions to Ask an Interviewer
In over two decades working in Executive recruitment, we’ve picked up a thing or two about how to nail an interview. One way to really impress your interviewer is to ask the right questions. This is particularly important when interviewing for an Executive or Board position. The questions you ask can demonstrate that you're qualified for the job and a thoughtful, strategic leader.
The interview process is not only an opportunity to showcase your capabilities, it is also a chance to sound out the company. The right questions provide great insight into a company and its culture, enabling you to see if it’s a good personal fit and whether you can picture yourself thriving there.
There are many obvious questions to ask an interviewer that you’ll find scattered across the internet.
If you are going for a Board role, then we suggest that these are not the right questions to ask:
“Can you describe a typical work day/week?”
“How quickly can I be promoted?”
“How quickly can my salary rise?”
Most interviewers would consider these questions bland and not personal to the business. Whilst it’s important to cover some of these points during the interview process, your direct questions should be thought provoking and memorable. This will help you stand out from other candidates and create an open conversation, in which topics such as long-term company objectives and opportunities for advancement can be discussed in due course. You need to have questions relevant to the business, its operating structure, revenue and supply chain model and any long-term contracts. Find out what’s on the wish list for the business.
Open-ended questions are a great way to construct a dialogue with your interviewer, and demonstrate that you are not afraid to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. This enables the conversation to flow and move away from a rigid question-answer structure. When the conversation is fluid, it’s the best time to drop in your research about the company, and how you could enhance their working method.
This proactive approach is favoured by interviewers, who will get an insight into what it would be like to work with you should they decide to hire you as a business leader. Don’t wait for the end of the interview to ask questions, asking your questions throughout the interview builds a rapport with the interviewer, creating an active conversation and bringing your personality front and centre.
By creating an active conversation, you’re able to explain what extra qualities you can bring to the company - your unique selling point(s) (USP). Most interviews are hugely impressed if you can tie your USP with the research you’ve done on the company, and explain how you would improve their business. You will almost always be asked what you would bring to the company, so answering it before they ask stirs the interviewer and portrays you as prepared and knowledgeable.
So, what open-ended questions can you ask?
“What does leadership mean to you?”
“How do you measure success in this role?”
“What does it take to succeed here?”
“What are your thoughts on the company culture?”
“Could it be improved in any way?”
“What do you think are the most important qualities required for this position, and why? ”
Another good technique is to ask a question based on information provided in a previous round of interviewing, naming the person who gave you the information. This shows you're engaged and interested and suggests you will be able to build relationships with team members very quickly. Asking a question in this manner showcases your willingness for collaboration and how you could lead a collective decision-making process.
As a business leader, it is vital that your questions demonstrate genuine investment in the company and its culture. Your questions should show that you’re interested in what you can do for the company, not just what the company can do for you. Someone who looks like they’re genuinely weighing up whether they can add value to a company and prove a good fit will always look like a more thoughtful and considered candidate.
At Moon we’re always intrigued to see what questions a candidate will ask. When applying for a C-Suite position, there is almost boundless scope of directions you can go in – meaning you can really make your interviewer think, and in turn, remember you.
Looking for your next leadership position? Contact us to join our network of top candidates, or find out how we can craft bespoke search & recruitment campaigns for your company.
