Advice for executives on interviewing in current market conditions

Interim Managers 

At interview our experience shows that there are a number of criteria that interviewers are looking to satisfy before moving forward.  

• Can you gain credibility with the stakeholder groups and senior managers?
• Do you have a demonstrable track record of 'delivering'?
• Can you hit the ground running?
• Will what you do add to their standing within the organisation?
• Can they get on with you from a personal perspective?
• Can you be left to 'get on with it'?
  

Permanent Roles 

At a senior level it is often the present incumbent that does the first round of interviews and this is often invaluable as it presents an opportunity to gain a real insight into the organisation and the problems and issues facing it, but don't be complacent and make sure you demonstrate your achievements.  

These types of interviews tend to be very informative but be prepared for something quite different if instead it is the Chief Executive or Finance Director that is interviewing you.

Greater preparation is needed for these meeting and it goes without saying that there will be a strong emphasis on HR and P&L! Concentrating on these issues rather than intricacies of HR will endear you more to your interviewers.  

Psychometric testing is still widely used at a senior level but it is as well to respect this as part of their process even if they are tests you don't personally subscribe to. If you get the job you can always change it later! 

Consultancy 

Our years of experience in this sector have shown us that clients are wary when it comes to bringing in consultants to the business. This is mainly due to the reputation of some management consultancies of charging excessive amounts of money often for very little in return. 

Self employed consultants need to demonstrate that they understand the issues and can deliver projects that are timely and precise to those needs. In any initial meeting you will be best placed to focus on how you have delivered your previous projects and the positive impact that these had on your clients. And, of course it is important to demonstrate flexibility and value for money.