Executive job interviews can be stressful for many job seekers.

The best way to alleviate that stress is by being well prepared, and as ready as possible for whatever they throw at you.

This post is part of a series of posts that include the FAQs I most often get from my clients. Here are the other topics:

• Personal Branding
• LinkedIn
• Online Reputation Management
• Executive Resumes
• Executive Job Search, in general

You’ll find links to all of them below.

Executive Job Interview FAQs

When I’m coaching clients on job interviewing, they have all kinds of questions for me.

Over the years I’ve kept track of some of the more pressing ones, and here they are, with the way I typically answer them.

“I’m not getting many interviews. What am I doing wrong?”

Ideally before your job interviews start, you should get things in order to present yourself in the right way to attract more opportunities:

• Create an executive resume that showcases your personal brand and other good-fit qualities for the employers you’re targeting.
• Build an online presence that promotes your good-fit qualities, and will make you visible and findable to executive recruiters and other hiring professionals.

But don’t do either of these things before you work on:

• Targeting specific employers
• Researching what specific things you can help them with
• Defining your personal brand around the specific things that make you a good hiring choice.

These things help you create a resume and LinkedIn profile that will differentiate you and resonate with the employers you want to work for.

You’ll note that being specific is paramount.

If you’re not specific in every way possible, you’re likely to be part of the sea of sameness that most executive candidates fall into.

Read more in my article, 10 Best Ways to Get More Executive Job Interviews

“It’s been so long since I interviewed I don’t know any more what the typical questions I’ll be asked are.”

If you’re not able to answer the basic questions, like “Tell me about yourself”, it will be difficult to position yourself as a good fit.

Having answers at-the-ready for a variety of questions makes you better able to tackle the harder questions that come out of left field.

Remember that at the executive level, interview questions will probe more specifically how you’ll perform in the job. Interviewers want to know about:

• Your problem solving skills
• How you’ll navigate unpredictable challenges
• The traits you bring to the table that predict you will be successful in the role.

Executive interviews, in general, are about:

• Positioning yourself as a good hiring choice
• Helping employers envision you on the job, contributing to the company’s success
• Helping you with your due diligence for the job and the company

Read more in my article, 31 Common Executive Job Interview Questions and How to Best Answer Them

“I’ve only done a few virtual job interviews and I’m not very good at it. What do I need to know?”

Virtual job interviews are here to stay because they’re a more cost effective and efficient way to conduct interviews.

You’ll need to be up-to-snuff on using this and other technologies for your job that you may be unfamiliar with.

Performing well in these kinds of interviews positions you as savvy with the new world of work, and ready to hit the ground running.

Here are some of the ways to prepare:

• Test your technology
• Check your WiFi
• Listen to your voice
• Get used to smiling a lot
• Record yourself
• Show up a few minutes early

Read more in my article, Nail Your Virtual Job Interviews – Things You Need To Know and Do Well