How do specialist executive search consultants interview candidates?

The interview process is an incredibly difficult skill to master for both candidates and businesses when it comes to establishing the ambitions, goals, and capabilities of an individual, and aligning them with the culture of the company.

Unfortunately, so many interviews will fail to grasp what really matters, meaning that companies are off-target right from the very start. Without asking the right questions at the right time, there is a significant risk of misjudging any vital elements of the recruitment process, which is inherently linked to an increase in staff turnover.

This is one of the many reasons why specialist executive search consultants, like G&E Partners, are preferred when it comes to identifying and placing the right candidates to meet the specific needs of a business.

We’ve outlined below exactly how a dedicated search consultant will engage with a candidate in order to increase the chances of a successful placement.

How specialist search consultants successfully interview candidates

The best interviews will educate the person asking the questions just as much as the candidate. It is crucial to take the individual on a journey of their career and what they specialise in, how they work and where they want to be in their immediate and long term future.

In doing this, consultants are able to construct a detailed profile of the individual, as well as the roles that would be more suited to them. As recruitment is a two-way process, it is vital to take the considerations of businesses into account before matching them with the right person.

In addition, search consultants will typically ask open-ended questions to candidates, both to display their understanding of the specific industry in which the candidate works, but also to build an awareness of what the person wants or needs from a prospective employment package. Relevant questions to ask include:

• Tell me exactly what your previous role(s) involved?
• What did you achieve in each role, and what did you learn from that position?
• What was the rationale in taking the next role – what did you anticipate it would offer you from a career development perspective?

Going back to this two-dimensional recruitment process, questions like these ultimately help an interviewer know exactly what the qualities of the candidate are, which increases the chances of a successful placement.

Doing it the G&E Way

At G&E Partners, we have consistently placed mid-management to c-suite level candidates with industry-leading companies across the world for several years. Our success and retention rate would not be possible without our unique talent management approach, which allows us to clearly understand what a candidate needs from a specific role as well as where they need to be in their career.

Our talent management system is unique to other search consultants, as we go beyond merely interviewing candidates, instead taking the time to understand what an individual can evidence, and what they can do as the reason they will be hired.

This system begins at the interview stage. From opening statements to asking the right questions and closing, our approach to interviewing ensures a best fit every time.

From the interview stage, we support them in establishing a portfolio to evidence their skillset and provide companies with a more comprehensive understanding of their value.

As a side note, it is also important to understand exactly where a candidate wants to be in 3-5, even 5-10 years and what their next role must offer them in terms of growth, stretch and challenge to make it the right development fit.

In following this process, we can essentially establish a route for all candidates to take, in order for them to find the ideal role that offers them the appropriate and desired amount of growth and challenge.

Looking for your next career opportunity? Get in touch with our specialist consultants today for a friendly discussion about the opportunities we have available.

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