Preparing for the final interview with the Board?

You’ve sailed through the first and second interview stages relatively unscathed. You feel fairly smug having batted off solid competition to make it to the final stage with the Board. Amidst the quiet internal confidence, there’s an element of trepidation and a degree of the unknown when facing that last stage.

Here are King Recruit’s 10 Killer board level interview questions that will help you prepare theoretically to ‘wine and dine’ the panel.

1) “Why are you here today?”

An unswerving and pointedly open-ended question. Avoid getting caught in the trap of explaining what the job means for you and your career. The real crux of the question is to determine what benefits you can bring to the table. Try and weight it 75/25 in favour of what added value you can bring over what incentives there are for you.

2) ‘What didn’t you get a chance to include on your résumé?’

One of Sir Richard Branson’s favourite questions. And, a great one to consider if you’re applying for a culture led business. In true Branson style, this question is all about waving goodbye to formality and getting under your skin. This is about being true to your own character, whether you decide to discuss work or personal at this level follow your instinct on what’s appropriate to discuss.

3) ‘If we’re sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great 12 months it’s been for you in this role, what did we achieve together?’

Translated into, do you really understand the company, the role and most importantly do you really want it? The interviewer is looking for strategic vision here and a genuine passion for what the company is striving to achieve.

4) “What’s your biggest dream in life?”

A good way of approaching a question like this is to break it down into three parts.

i) What Skills Do You Want to Use?

I’ve mentioned my experience with __. My dream job would definitely have to relate to that. I’d also love to grow my skills in __.

ii) What Interests You?

I’ve been interested in the __ industry ever since I first discovered __. That combined with my interest in __ and __ means I’ve been hooked ever since.

iii) What Are Your Values?

Based on my skills and interests, in my dream job, I would want to __ as related to __, ideally in a company where I could __ and __. These are both really important to me, and I’m excited to see that they seem to be equally important to this company.

5) “Tell me about when you failed.”

Dissecting past failures is something of an obsession for CEOs, who focus on it to look for resilience, creativity, and humility in candidates. A person who can speak openly, honestly, and specifically about their personal shortcomings is attractive, but only if they can also explain how they are a better person, partner, leader, and manager as a result.

6) ‘What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning?’

A favourite of Entrepreneur and expert recruiter James Caan, what motivates someone at their core. This question is going to determine whether you are resilient throughout the natural ups and downs of business.

7) What have been your 3 greatest achievements?

A favourite of mine, and a great opportunity to demonstrate your own personal excellence. If well prepared, this could really determine you as ‘head and shoulders’ above your competition. It’s good to give a broad range here and including a personal example such as running a marathon demonstrates an intrinsic desire to win.

8) What’s your superskill?

A Google or Apple type interview question, however what they are really asking for here, is something unique, something that sets you apart – your own personal ‘wow’ factor and ultimately, what added value can you bring to this organization? So whether it’s your ability to ‘set the tone’ in the boardroom, be a strong change facilitator or drive the sales force to regularly over exceed their targets, this is the opportunity to clinch the offer.

9) If we hire you, what goals will you set for yourself and for the team from the outset?

In other words – do you wholeheartedly want this job, what tangible deliverables can you bring in the first 90 days, and what is your idea of goal setting. This is an opportunity to exceed their expectations.

10) What’s been the most fulfilling 6 months in your career?

One to carefully consider as this really could unravel even the best interview façade if you haven’t applied for a position that you’re passionate about. Conversely, if this is your next best strategic career move, then talking about elements of leadership or successful projects you’ve led will easily provide tangibility in your answer.

King Recruit is an Executive Recruitment business based in the Southwest. As an expert in Senior level recruitment, Talent Acquisition and Southwest business, our passion is placing strategic and career-minded professionals with dynamic businesses and playing an instrumental role in our clients’ recruitment strategy.

For a confidential conversation about your next strategic career move, please contact Helen Plumridge MD of King Recruit, E: helen@kingrecruit.com M: 07808 537696