Presidential Debate as Job Interview: How One Search Firm Will Assess Leadership Potential on Debate Night

How a Strong Job Candidate Should Comport Himself in Very Public Job Interview

Thursday; September 25, 2008

RADNOR, PA – September 25, 2008 – For executive search consultants who are in the business of evaluating leadership potential, Friday night’s Presidential debate will be the equivalent of one, huge job interview. Search consultants will be looking for clues that reveal the candidates’ readiness to lead, says Salveson Stetson Group, a full-service retained executive search firm.

“For those of us in the business of finding, evaluating and recommending leaders for top-level positions, we’ll be watching the debate with our non-partisan, leadership assessment hats on, asking ourselves ‘How well prepared is John McCain or Barack Obama to assume the CEO of the United States position?’” said John Salveson, a principal with Salveson Stetson Group. “Politics and cameras aside, there are certain fundamental skills and attributes a leader must demonstrate in an interview like this. We’ll be on the lookout for them.”

In any interview for a leadership position, the interviewer is looking to assess two broad areas, Salveson said:

• The candidate’s capability to do the job – What experiences, skills, knowledge and background would Sen. McCain or Sen. Obama bring to the position of President? A strong job candidate will offer specific examples of accomplishments, not vague statements of promise.

• The candidate’s leadership style – How does he lead, how does he comport himself, what is his chemistry like with others? Does he have an inclusive style – or does he make decisions in isolation? Consider his track record in past hires and how he utilized that talent.

Salveson Stetson says a job candidate for any executive level position – including The White House – needs to possess these six qualities:

• Ability to inspire people. Can the candidate articulate his vision and get others charged up about it?

• Select, find and attract the right team to implement his vision. Remember, Salveson advises, that great leaders typically aren’t masters of all but rather need the ability to bring together a diverse team to make things happen.

• Strong relationship manager. How well does the candidate build coalitions – especially across diverse groups? “There will be many competing interests and many people who don’t like you,” said Salveson. “How a President goes about building a team in that type of environment will be critical to his Administration’s success over time.”

• Crisis management skills. What is the candidate’s management style during a crisis vs. under normal conditions? You don’t want a leader who panics under pressure, nor do you want one who is slow to react in a crisis, said Salveson.

• Integrity. “Lying in an interview is immediate grounds for disqualification in a job interview,” said Salveson. “A candidate with integrity will speak truthfully and honestly and not manipulate facts to make himself look better.”

• Articulation of why they want the job. A good interviewer will be on the lookout for a candidate who can explain clearly why they want the job. “The desire for power is rarely a good reason to hire someone,” said Salveson. “Listen carefully, instead, for the core reasons a candidate desires the job. There’s usually a higher motive at play for candidates seeking public office. Be sure they can articulate that before you ‘hire’ them for the Presidency.”

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About Salveson Stetson Group

Salveson Stetson Group (www.ssgsearch.com) is a full-service retained executive search firm founded in 1996. Specializing in $150,000+ salaried positions, Salveson Stetson Group places executives at organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to non-profit entities. The company is based in suburban Philadelphia.

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Jack Loughran
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