Preparing for Executive Interviews

As an executive, you’ve probably been on plenty of interviews in your lifetime – from that entry-level position to the management positions you’ve held. But nothing quite compares to the executive-level interview; if you’ve been on even one you know this is a true statement. So how do you properly prepare for executive-level interviews? There are a number of steps involved to get you on the right track and keep you there. Let’s take a look at what they are … Make Sure You’re Impeccably Organized If you’re applying with more than one company at a time then you want to make sure that you don’t mix them up as you keep track of specific details. How embarrassing would it be to recite incorrect statistical data, or reference a conversation from a representative of the wrong company in the interview? But this is not the only reason you need to make sure you’re organized. Additionally, you want to make sure that you have studied the position you’re applying for inside and out. This takes a lot of time because you not only want to understand the position in relation to the inner workings of the company, but also in relation to the industry as a whole. As an executive, you will be expected to broaden the scope of the company, so before even going in for the interview, it’s good to organize ideas on how you intend to do just that if you’re accepted for the position. Prepare Even More So you’d consider yourself to be pretty organized at this point. You’ve determined what the company is looking for, how it relates to industry trends, and how you can make your contributions. But there’s even more preparation to consider. First, it’s good to know who your interviewer(s) is. If you already have a name, you can search for background information on business acquaintances, work experience and more via Google, DogPile, or LinkedIn. Additionally, it’s good to tailor your references to the interview, especially if you have internal connections. There’s nothing wrong with a little name-dropping as long as it fits the context of the conversation. Dress to Impress Something else to keep in mind is what you’ll wear to your interview. Since much of how you’re perceived is based upon how you look, it’s a good idea to prepare clothes for not just your first interview, but the possible second or third ones as well. You don’t want to wear the same suit to more than one interview with the same company. Also, if you smoke, you don’t want the interviewer to know it. So keep this all in mind as you prepare your suits. Before You Walk Out the Door … Finally, before you walk out the door, don’t forget to bring extra resumes, as well as other materials/ideas in an interview folder. Some of those other materials/ideas may include interviewers’ names, pads of paper, a pen, key points you want to bring up, and your key skills. The more prepared you are for your executive interview, the better your chances are of securing the position you want. So keep this in mind as you get yourself organized.