.jpg)
Photo by krakenimages on Unsplash
Kicking off an executive search is a big deal. There are so many details to consider and boxes to check, and a lot is riding on the results.
It can seem like an overwhelming process, but it doesn’t need to be. We’ve compiled a list of questions to help you stay organized as you think through the role, the hiring process, and the big picture it all fits into.
Questions to ask when considering the role
Why are you starting this executive search?
Start at the beginning and define your purpose. This will give you a foundation to work from and help unify the hiring team moving forward.
If this is a previously existing role, why is it open now? Should it look the same moving forward, or have the company’s needs changed? If the role didn’t exist before, why is it being created now?
What does success in this role look like?
Similarly, this question should prompt you to consider the existing team. What need does this role fill for the company today? What initiatives will the new hire need to execute on in the first 90 days?
Paint a picture of the best possible outcome, and imagine whoever you hire is wildly successful after the first 6 months. What have they been able to achieve? What about after 3 years? In addition to helping you think through the role, this exercise can help the search team set expectations and identify top candidates.
What are the existing team dynamics?
Taking stock of the existing team, processes, and company culture will help you envision how candidates will fit in and add to the organization. You’ll likely get questions about this during the interview process, so reflecting now is a good way to prepare.
What is the closest archetype?
Every executive is different, but we’ve observed a few common archetypes for each discipline. Think about an archetype as a focus area or specialty for an executive. Knowing what you’re looking for can help you and your search team align on expectations. Check out our first post in a series about executive archetypes to learn more.
Questions to ask when considering the hiring team
Who are the primary stakeholders for this role?
An executive hiring team usually includes members of the leadership team and a representative from the board, but it’s a good idea to think about anyone else who will be highly invested in the new hire. Who will work with this person daily? Who will report to them? We recommend including a variety of stakeholders on your hiring team so you can tap into a range of perspectives.
What should each interviewer focus on?
Each member of the interview team should know what they’re responsible for focusing on, whether it’s particular skills, key personality traits, or core job competencies. This is a good way to ensure you’re getting multiple interviews’ worth of information—instead of covering the same few questions multiple times. For example, whoever is most familiar with the function of the role can focus on practical skills, while someone on another team can focus on candidates’ collaborative approaches.
Questions to ask when considering candidates
What unique skills does this person bring to the table?
Make a note of the things that set a candidate above the rest. If they’ve made it to the end of the search process, they likely fulfill the role description. Consider what else they alone bring to the table.
How will this person fit into the existing team?
What would it look like to work with a specific candidate? We like to use the mindset of looking for a “culture add” rather than a “culture fit.” You don’t need someone to have the same personality or preferences as the rest of the team, but they should resonate with your values and bring value to the organization.
Questions to ask in the interview process
What is the candidate’s leadership style?
Hiring an executive is about a candidate’s ability to lead just as much as it is about their functional abilities. Ask for examples of their actions as a leader, or ask them to walk you through how they’d respond to real-life scenarios within your organization.
What are they curious about in their career?
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to teach intellectual curiosity as a skill, but you want to hire people who are inquisitive and proactive in their search for answers.
This question came from a guest on The Daily Bolster. We collected some of our favorite interview questions from the podcast here.
How do they see themselves growing within the role?
It’s unlikely that your job description encompasses the full extent of the role in the short term, and as your business grows and changes, so will the role. Perhaps more importantly, so will the person you hire. Take the time to understand their vision for the future, and consider whether it matches up with the goals of the organization.
Are you considering an executive search?
At Bolster, we’re reinventing executive search by combining the power of experienced recruiters with our intelligent sourcing platform. Built by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, Bolster matches CEOs with transformational executives for full-time, fractional, and board roles—without the hassle of traditional talent sourcing. It’s smarter search done faster and with more confidence.
When you work with Bolster, our extraordinary team will work alongside you to make your search a success. We take the time to listen, understand, and respond to your needs, support you throughout your search, and offer our expertise as a resource.
Want to know more about what it’s like to work with us? Let us know what you’re looking for.
