Executives can make or break your company. Those who aren't the right fit create more stress than success, while great executives can steer the ship with sustainable strategies.
Therefore, it is crucial to ask the right executive interview questions. By asking these questions, teams can gain insight into how executives think, where they take action, and what their role is within the company.
We've compiled a list of 18 executive interview questions that will help you make the best hiring decision.
What are executive interview questions?
Hiring teams use executive interview questions to assess new hires' professional and personal qualifications. In addition to leadership skills, communication styles, management approaches, and conflict resolution frameworks are some of the most common question tracks.
It’s important to choose a mix of different types of questions to explore what executives bring to the table and what they may leave behind, as there are no hard and fast rules about what questions you need to ask or how many questions provide enough information about potential candidates.
18 Executive Interview Questions
We've compiled 25 of the best executive interview questions. These are divided into five broad categories: personality, behavior, leadership, experience, and strategic insight.
Personality Interview Questions
1. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Why it matters: It's a classic interview question because it asks potential executives to describe where they excel and where they need to improve.
You want a mix of both - executives should be confident enough in their capabilities to highlight their strengths and confident enough in themselves to admit their shortcomings.
What a good answer looks like: An effective answer includes specific strengths and weaknesses. The candidate may not have done enough introspection to understand who they are or how they could improve if they respond generically about "hard work" or being a "team player".
2. How would you describe your communication style?
Why it matters: Companies run on effective communication. Executives with poor communication skills may fail to meet deadlines and never complete work.
What a good answer looks like: Good answers focus on collaboration rather than dictation. An executive pointing out the need to explore different perspectives before making a decision is a good sign. They may be raising a red flag if they focus solely on relaying orders to their employees.
3. If you encounter a personality conflict, how would you deal with it?
In order to deal with conflict effectively, executives should understand how they will respond.
How does an executive deal with employees who have been with the company for years? In the absence of an effective conflict mitigation strategy, friction could negatively impact performance and productivity.
What a good answer looks like: Beware of answers that suggest all conflict can be avoided. Rather, look for responses that describe previous personality conflicts and how the executive handled them. If there is a conflict, you want a leader who is proactive in resolving it.
4. What are some of your hobbies?
For companies to succeed, work/life balance has become increasingly important over the last few years. Because they don't have to commute, employees working from home are more engaged and generally more productive. Additionally, this question helps you gain a better understanding of the person on the other side of the table.
What a good answer looks like: The hobby itself doesn’t matter. The important thing is that executives are doing something else besides work. Burnout occurs when work is the only focus.
Behavior Interview Questions
5. Describe a time you were frustrated in your last job. How did you handle it?
Why it matters: Things rarely go as planned. When things don't go as planned, executives have to think on their feet in the face of frustration.
This is what a good answer looks like: It acknowledges frustration - perhaps the department couldn't hire new staff or had their budget cut - and offers a solution, such as reorganizing projects or leveraging new technologies to reduce manual work.
6. Where could you improve?
There is no such thing as perfection, and executives should always strive for improvement. Whether you want to gain additional certifications or skill sets or enhance your interpersonal connections, there is always room for improvement.
A good answer is: If candidates claim to not need growth, it's a red flag. There is an indication of a closed mindset, which could affect employee trust and collaboration.
Nevertheless, if their admitted need for improvement is in a skill or area you require them to have already mastered, they may not be the right candidate.
7. How do you deal with failure?
From failing to get a job to losing a contact or missing a deadline, failure is part of corporate life. Consequently, it's important to know how prospective executives cope with failure.
While admitting failure is frustrating, your candidate's response should focus on what comes next: How will they mitigate the impact of current failure and avoid the same problem in the future?
8. What part of this job will be the most challenging for you?
Ideally, executives are interested in your company because of the opportunity to grow. However, growth is not without its challenges, so it's important to ask prospective employees where they think they may struggle.
How a good answer would look: Imagine an IT executive applying for a role that is equal parts tech and finance. A candidate should be upfront about their (currently) inadequate knowledge of finance processes, as well as a desire to learn.
Leadership Interview Questions
9. What do you see as the top priority for executives?
Leadership is at the core of what executives do. The definition of leadership varies from person to person. It may be about ensuring team confidence and buy-in for some; it may be about the bottom line for others.
What a good answer looks like: Look for an answer that aligns with your current corporate goals. When hiring and retaining skilled employees, listen for answers that emphasize collaboration and teamwork.
10. What is your approach to handling criticism?
Even when you do everything right, criticism still occurs. Staff may be unhappy with a specific executive's leadership style or feel unfairly assigned projects.
It is ideal for candidates to encourage criticism within a structured format in their answers. Employees may be able to voice their opinions through regular one-on-one meetings, or anonymous complaints may also be accepted.
It is important that they accept and evaluate criticism so they can make changes based on where it is valid and where they are right.
11. How do you define success for your team?
Profit isn't the only measure of success. As important as it is to ensure that teams meet their objectives, long-term performance is largely determined by the bonds formed between team members.
A good answer starts with the team itself, which acknowledges that working well together boosts productivity. It may be problematic for teams if the only metric mentioned is profitability.
Experience Interview Questions
12. What do you want to accomplish here?
Each executive has their own plans and goals, so it matters that they are people too. Your understanding of why they want to join your company - and what they want to do - will help you put their application into context.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer here, but look for responses that emphasize professional development or a desire to learn new skills. In addition to seeing how well they understand your company, you can also see if their goals align with yours.
13. Where can our company improve?
Speaking of improvement, it's worth asking candidates where they think processes or policies can be improved.
You want someone who pinpoints specific areas for improvement, such as integrating technology or eliminating error-prone manual processes, rather than pulling their punches.
14. Can you offer one idea for increasing company revenue right now?
Business exists to make money, so you should ask prospective employees how they would like to earn more.
What a good answer looks like: Here, you’re looking to tap candidate expertise. Their background in finance, for example, may give them an idea for improving accounts payable (AP) or invoicing processes. Based on what you know about your company, try to find a relevant and feasible answer.
Strategic Insight Interview Questions
15. What do you see as your biggest challenges here?
There is no seamless transition, so executives must have some concerns about their integration. To overcome these challenges, self-reflection and preparation are essential.
Honesty about where candidates might fall short, along with a commitment to seek out the right people with the right knowledge, is a good answer.
16. Describe how you make decisions. Why is this your approach?
Despite not knowing what the best course of action is, executives are responsible for making decisions. The best way to determine if a candidate is a good fit is to understand how they make decisions.
A good answer involves listening to differing opinions and then making a decision based on this information. Staff should be able to leverage both sides of this approach.
17. What is the role of failure in success?
Getting back up and trying again isn't taught as much in success without failure as it is in getting back up and trying.
What a good answer looks like: Good answers highlight the importance of failure in establishing the conditions for success by helping teams identify where they can improve. Make sure you hear a concrete anecdote that illustrates how the candidate has learned from their failures.
18. What data do you need for effective decision-making?
Without the right data, effective decision-making is impossible. The impact of these sources on operations must be considered by executives.
Great answers incorporate "gut feelings" based on industry experience, along with the recognition that feelings alone aren't sufficient without data.
Preparing for Your Interview
Asking the right interview questions can help you find the right executive for your company. A mix of different types of questions can help you understand a candidate's qualifications, skills, and fit with your company culture. Gather your questions, grab a cup of coffee, and get ready to interview.