Even as an executive or leader, a job interview can feel like an adrenaline rush, blending excitement with nervous energy. How do you say the right thing and make the best impression?
It is a crucial moment where your ability to articulate your skills, experiences, and motivations can profoundly influence your future.
To help you navigate this crucial moment and make the best impression, we have gathered insights from three experienced headhunters. Understanding common interview questions can help you prepare effectively for the big meeting.
Arne Poul Bender, Lone Vinther and Tobias Thus share their tips on how to deliver standout answers in a job interview.
Arne Paul Bender, Partner at Birn+Partners: ”As headhunter, I often encounter interview questions aimed at uncovering key insights about the candidate. Some of the following questions demonstrate your qualifications, strategic thinking and leadership capabilities”.
1. What is your vision for the company, and how do you plan to achieve it?
How to answer:
Insight: This question assesses your understanding of the company, your strategic vision, and your ability to execute a plan.
2. How do you prioritize and manage competing demands from various stakeholders such as shareholders, employees, and customers.
How to answer:
Insight: This question reveals your ability to balance and align different interests.
3. Can you give an example of a major crisis you faced as a leader? How did you handle it, and what was the outcome?
How to answer:
Insight: This question evaluates your crisis management skills and resilience.
4. How do you ensure innovation and continuous improvement within an organisation?
How to answer:
Insight: This question looks at your ability to foster innovation and continuous improvement.
As a headhunter, it's my job to ensure you present your best self. By understanding the intent behind these questions and preparing thoughtful responses, you can create a positive impression and effectively demonstrate your qualifications, strategic thinking, and leadership capabilities.
Tobias Thus, Partner at Birn+Partners: “Throughout my career as a headhunter, I have observed many candidates struggle with common leadership questions that offers a prime opportunity to impress us. A question as “What is your approach to building and leading high-performing teams?.
Often, candidates mistakenly assume that answering this common leadership question is straightforward and fail to give it the thoughtful response it deserves. I will give you some tips on how to best approach these leadership questions seen from my headhunter perspective”.
1. What is your approach to building and leading high-performing teams?
How to answer:
Insight: This question delves into your understanding of leadership dynamics and your ability to cultivate a high-performance culture. It’s not just about what you do, but how you do it and the tangible results that follow. Your answer should reveal your strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and capacity to inspire and guide a team towards achieving its goals.
Another question could be:
2. Can you describe a situation where you had to make a tough decision that was not popular? How did you handle it, and what were the results?
How to answer:
Insight: This question assesses your ability to handle difficult situations with integrity and strategic thinking. It reveals how you approach decision-making under pressure and manage the consequences of unpopular choices.
Your response should demonstrate resilience, ethical judgment, and the capacity to lead effectively even in challenging circumstances. It’s an opportunity to showcase your problem-solving skills, ability to maintain team morale, and how you balance stakeholder interests.
These questions reveal a lot about a candidate's personality, skills, and potential leadership fit for the role. Structured, honest answers will help you stand out and leave a positive impression.
Lone Vinther, Partner at Birn+Partners: "In many of my recruitments as a headhunter, this is my one big question ”Why should XX hire you?”. It provides a unique opportunity to showcase your qualifications and align them seamlessly with the company's needs”.
During an interview it is a crucial moment for this question ”Why should we hire you” for any candidate. Use this question to effectively promote yourself and convince the employer of your suitability.
Crafting an effective response demands a persuasive elevator pitch that highlights your strengths, experiences, and how they uniquely qualify you for the role. Let’s take it in steps:
Craft an elevator pitch
Approach this question like delivering an elevator pitch—a concise, impactful summary of who you are, your background, and your relevant experience. Aim for a 30-60 second pitch highlighting why you are an excellent fit for both the role and the team.
Craft your elevator pitch in advance
Prepare by reflecting on what attracted you to the job, demonstrating your enthusiasm for the role and company while aligning it with your career objectives. Use real-life examples of three key skills or experiences relevant to the job, encompassing both 'hard skills' (like leadership management) and 'soft skills' (like empathy communication).
Be informative yet concise
Stick to three main points to maintain a sharp and engaging response, tailored to showcase how your unique qualities and skills can address the company's needs.
Practice
Rehearse your pitch to ensure confident delivery, balancing preparedness with spontaneity to avoid sounding rehearsed.
Here is a tailored example:
“The innovative approach of XXX impresses me, and this job aligns perfectly with my career goals. I believe there are three key reasons why I’m the ideal candidate:
Crafting a compelling response to the big common question “why should we hire you?” can leave a lasting impression and increase your chances of securing the job. Prepare for it.
Remember, each question is a chance to present not just your qualifications, but also your enthusiasm and fit for the role. By mastering these common interview questions with insights from top headhunters, you'll be well on your way to making a memorable impact and securing your desired position. Good luck!