1. Tell me what is your leadership philosophy?
This question is intentionally vague. Most leaders will answer this question in a way that demonstrates their core values or the way in which they lead.
2. Tell us do you have a non-compete?
If I have one more guy tell me his Brother is an Attorney and his non-compete is not valid...I'm going to cry. There is exactly one thing a Recruiter can get sued for - knowingly placing an executive that is in violation of a non-compete. We don't do it, ever. If your non-compete is geographic (Nevada or Las Vegas for example), you will be relocating if you want to make a career change. If there is any ambiguity, I let the hiring company General Counsel review the verbiage and make the call.
3. Tell me if you were going to teach a college course, what course would you teach?
This question helps us understand the subjects the interviewee cares most deeply about, and also provides insight into where they feel their strengths lie.
4. Tell me do You Understand Our Company Culture?
In today's professional environment, the concept of culture fit is increasingly becoming a top priority in the recruitment process. The more senior the position, the more important it is to find a cultural fit, as these characteristics will affect their leadership style. Prior to the interview, candidates can gain an understanding of the company's culture by reading their website, particularly the “About Us” section. Assess how they have chosen to present themselves to their clients, and even the style of the staff photographs. Companies with relaxed and casual photographs of staff are likely to have relaxed and casual environments. The photographs are also a good indicator of the appropriate dress code for their office too.
5. Tell me what's one assumption people make about you that is dead wrong?
This question helps us understand if the candidate has a high degree of self-awareness. It's a great indicator of emotional intelligence – does the person really know how they affect people around them.
6. Tell me how long have you been with your current (or former) employer?
This is a hot-button question if your résumé reflects considerable job-hopping. Excellent performers tend to stay in their jobs at least three to five years. They implement course corrections, bring in new resources, and, in general, learn how to survive–that's why they are valued by prospective employers.
If your resume reflects jobs with companies that were acquired, moved, closed, or downsized, it is still viewed as a job-hopper's history. Volunteer and go to events where hiring authorities may be found. Ratchet up your networking to include anything that exposes you to hiring authorities who can get past your tenure issue because now they know you. Your networking efforts have never been so important.
7. Do you know how would you maximize your ROI on recruitment?
Recruitment is a time and money consuming activity. In order to maximize the ROI through recruitment activities, a company should keep following things in mind:
☛ - Clearly define the achievements you expect from the recruitment process. Establishing the clear goals doesn't leave a place for confusion in the system.
☛ - Develop effective ways to measure critical results.
☛ - Precise estimation of time and cost of recruitment.
☛ - Ensure that the people working in the recruitment process are well trained.
☛ - Estimate the tangible and intangible benefits that have come from the recruitment exercise.
8. Explain me about a time you broke a rule for an employee?
This question helps us understand the candidate's people orientation. We specifically focus on employee handbook type rules, not safety, risk, or other rules that should never be broken. If they've never broken a rule for an employee, chances are they don't deal well with ambiguity and look at the world very black & white.
9. Tell me do You Consider Yourself To Be A Strategic Thinker?
Many interview questions often focus on key skills for the position on offer, so make sure that you have prepared examples of your ability for all key skills that the job requires. Once you have prepared your examples, practice them aloud to enable yourself to speak confidently during the interview.
10. Tell us what are your minimum salary requirements?
Very few applicants indicate their salary requirements on the front end for fear that they'll overprice themselves and be ruled out. But, if possible, I try to at least get them to give me a salary range. This way, if they're way over my budget, I don't waste my time or theirs.
11. Tell us what type of projects do you enjoy working on?
This helps gain deeper insight into candidates' motivation for their work.
Their answers can help gauge where their interests may align within the scope of the open position, in terms of the immediate needs of the role, and how their strengths can prove effective over the long term.
12. Explain me what challenges have you faced as a recruiter?
Major challenges a recruiter faces are:
☛ - Lack of candidates in some particular domain
☛ - Changing trends of the market
☛ - Lack of self motivation
☛ - Lack of agility in the process
☛ - Lack of job prioritization
☛ - Lack of proper job analysis
13. Tell me to which companies have you applied to in the last 12 months?
Be honest! If you have applied to the hiring company in the last 12 months, the Recruiter CAN NOT REPRESENT YOU. And don't ask them to “do you a favor” and recommend you. At the end of the day, this is a for-profit business. Another big tip - if you are applying to online job postings, don't contact a Recruiter. We get paid very well to find the best of the best, not executives that spam their resume. If you are applying to a $50 LinkedIn ad, the hiring company has no reason to pay a Recruiter.
14. Tell me what do you do when you are not working?
The more senior the position, the more important it is to know about the candidate's qualities that will impact his or her leadership style: is the person well adjusted and happy, or is he or she a company zealot?
Discuss hobbies or pursuits that interest you, such as sports, clubs, cultural activities, and favorite things to read.
Avoid dwelling on any political or religious activities that may create conflict with those of the interviewer.
15. Tell me what is your current (or most recent) base salary?
The company is going to get this information, period. They can ask your last employer for title, compensation and tenure. The Recruiter needs to ensure you are “in range” for the position. If you are $100,000 and the job is $300,000, you are probably not senior enough. If you are $200,000 and the job pays $100,000 the Recruiter won't be able to meet your compensation requirements. Do not lie! Give your base salary and total compensation. Do not spin. Do not embellish. I guarantee you this...you will get caught.
16. Tell me some factors that affect the recruitment policy of a company?
Various factors which can affect the recruitment policy of a company are:
☛ - Its objectives
☛ - Policies of the competitors
☛ - Government laws - Social and economic
☛ - Political environment
☛ - Cost of recruitment
☛ - Time available
☛ - Preferred recruitment sources
17. Tell us what do you want my hiring manager to know about you, specifically?
This question is a variation of “Why should I consider you for this role?” However, it is usually so unexpected that the responses are pretty telling. You quickly see what candidates value in their own experiences and gain a little more insight.
18. Have you worked for our company in the past?
If candidates have worked for the company in the past, hiring managers will need to check rehire eligibility.
19. Tell me what is one truth you believe in that most people disagree with you on?
This question helps us learn a lot about the candidate's belief system and whether or not they are willing to challenge the status quo.
20. Do you know what is Recruitment?
☛ Recruitment is the process of identifying, screening and hiring the most suitable candidate for a job vacancy.
☛ The candidate might be hired internally or from external sources
☛ The process must be performed in timely and cost effective manner
☛ It can also be termed as a process linking the employers and the employees
21. Tell me what are you learning right now?
Every candidate should have at least one immediate answer to this question. If not, be afraid.
22. Tell me can you relocate nationwide?
If you can relocate, you will have more opportunities. If not, focus locally. Keep in mind the Recruiter probably has a specific role that he is filling, and if that is not in your city, you will need to relocate. When someone says they need a job in a specific city other than the West Coast, I recommend they find a Recruiter in that city to represent them.
23. Explain me about A Situation Involving Conflict Management?
Rather than answering that you “have been quite fortunate and have never had a conflict at work,” which can appear to be disingenuous or show that you lack experience in dealing with workplace conflict, instead answer in a way that shows that you are a team player and possess strong interpersonal skills. You could highlight your ability to listen to the opinions of others, negotiate, persuade, and build consensus among your team. Negative sounding questions are often great opportunities to highlight positive attributes!
24. Tell me how many and what types of networks are you a part of and why?
Today's business executive needs to be tapped into something greater than just the four-walls of their office. Social connectivity and involvement with community causes is a key indicator of a candidate who is passionate about their role and wants to be a bigger influencer.
25. Please explain me the recruitment process?
The recruitment process tries to get the best manpower for the organization. It can be considered as the first strategic step towards the success of an organization.
The process consists of following major steps:
☛ Identifying the vacancy
☛ Preparing the job specifications and description of the potential candidate
☛ Advertising the requirement
☛ Receiving and managing the applications
☛ Short listing the candidates
☛ Arranging the interviews
☛ Conducting the interviews and deciding on the candidate
26. Tell me the e-recruitment techniques. What are the advantages of e-recruitment?
E-recruitment means using internet for the recruitment services.
Three main techniques used in e-recruitment are:
☛ - Advertising on job portals
☛ - Building a recruitment section on company's website.
☛ - Screening the database of candidates on job portals
The advantages of e-recruitment are:
☛ - Lower cost of advertising the job openings
☛ - Helps in saving time
☛ - Large pool of candidates to choose from
☛ - Day in - day out access to the database
☛ - Screening the database brings in only relevant candidates
☛ - Paper less process - more organised
27. Top 10 Executive Recruiter Job Interview Questions:
☛ How would you describe the general culture of the company and the workplace?
☛ Why did you choose this company?
☛ Will there be any form of training provided?
☛ What are some of the biggest challenges/successes facing the department currently?
☛ What process will be used to evaluate my employee performance?
☛ Who will be my direct supervisor?
☛ Are there many opportunities for professional development within the company?
☛ What is the usual time frame for making the hiring decision?
☛ May I contact you if any further questions arise?
☛ Do You Consider Yourself To Be A Strategic Thinker?
28. Operational Executive Recruiter Job Interview Questions:
☛ Tell us about your experience in our industry.
☛ Which jobs in our industry are the hardest to fill and why?
☛ After speaking to your client/hiring manager about a new position, how do you structure your search? How do you go from your long list to your short list?
☛ Describe your preferred mix of candidate sourcing methods. What has worked well for you? What do you no longer do?
☛ What was difficult about sourcing in companies you've previously worked for?
☛ List and describe your favorite tools for tracking and following up with candidates.
☛ How do you approach interviews? What is your game plan? What are you trying to find out?
☛ Talk about a hiring process from a previous company. What worked well? What didn't work well? What would you change?
☛ Here's our current time to hire, cost per hire, and success rate. What could we do to improve these? Where would you start?
☛ Describe the common challenges of working with hiring managers.
29. Basic Executive Recruiter Job Interview Questions:
☛ What is the philosophy of the company or organization?
☛ What do you consider to be the company's strengths and weaknesses?
☛ What are the company's plans and goals?
☛ Describe the work environment and company culture.
☛ What attracted you to this organization?
☛ Why do you enjoy working for this company?
☛ Describe the typical responsibilities of the position.
☛ What are the challenging facets of the position?
☛ Describe the opportunity for training and professional development.
☛ Are there opportunities for advancement within the organization?
☛ Why is the position open?
☛ Who previously held this position?
☛ What was their performance and where are they today?
☛ What type of responsibilities and authorities does the position hold?
☛ Does the company see this position as important for its growth?
☛ When I have succeeded in accomplishing the tasks of this position, where would my next step be?
☛ Is there a defined career path?
30. Explain me about a situation where you did not get along with a superior?
The wrong answer to this hot-button question is, “I've been very fortunate and have never worked for someone I didn't get along with.”
Everyone has had situations where he or she disagreed with a boss, and saying that you haven't forces the recruiter to question your integrity. Also, it can send out a signal that the candidate is not seasoned enough or hasn't been in situations that require him or her to develop a tough skin or deal with confrontation.
It's natural for people to have differing opinions. When this has occurred in the past, you could explain that you presented your reasons and openly listened to other opinions as well.
31. Explain me the process of recruitment through placement agents?
The process of recruitment through placement agents consists of following steps:
☛ - Brief the consultant about the profile and the candidate
☛ - Placement consultant shortlist some candidates and sends the CVs
☛ - Company's representative shortlists the CVs sent by consultants
☛ - Interview is scheduled by the agent
☛ - Interview conducted by the company's representative
☛ - If the candidate is selected, he is given an offer after the negotiation else the consultant sends another candidate
32. What is your weakness as Executive Recruiter?
Unfortunately. I am a perfectionist and set high expectations for myself and I always expect my peers to demand as much of themselves. (Always answer with a positive rather than a negative attribute)
33. Tell us what is recruitment management system? What are its features and benefits?
Recruitment management system is a tool for effective management of recruitment process. It helps in quick, reliable, accurate and unbiased processing of various applications.
- The system helps in efficient management of system by automatically maintaining the database of candidates.
- It works as a good interface between various parties involved in the whole process
- It helps in better communication.
This question reveals the candidate's approach to their overall well-being.
35. Tell me do you have any contingencies (have to sell your house, spouse needs to find a job)?
This is not IBM in the 1960s. No one is going to buy your house off you. And it's not the Recruiters responsibility to find your spouse a job. Contingencies translate to you performing the job search on your own. Recruiters like flexible executives that will do whatever it takes to move their career forward.
