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