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The Most Common Mistakes Candidates Make When Interviewing With Executive Search FirmsOne-Third of Candidates Commit A Top "Interview Don’t"Tuesday; April 18, 2006 After obtaining a much-desired interview with a retained executive search firm recruiting a senior level position for a client company, as many as one-third of candidates blow their chances in the initial recruiter interview, according to Salveson Stetson Group, a full-service retained executive search firm.
“After working through an extensive prescreening process, it all comes apart for about one-third of candidates when they step through our doors and interview with us,” said John Salveson, co-founder and principal with the 10-year-old executive search firm. “They are sometimes so focused on the interview with the client company that they overlook the need to make a positive impression on the recruiter.”
Adds Sally Stetson, co-founder and principal with Salveson Stetson Group, by the time a candidate gets called for a personal interview with the search firm, the competition has already been narrowed dramatically. “More than 90% of roughly 150 initial candidates are eliminated for one reason or another before personal interviews are even conducted. So candidates who get to a personal interview have already come a long way, sometimes only to be eliminated due to an interview ‘don’t.’”
According to Salveson Stetson Group, the top mistakes candidates make during interviews with executive recruiters are:
Talking too much and listening too little. “Provide concise and specific answers to the recruiter’s questions. If you go off on a five minute tangent, the recruiter may better remember how long you talked, and not what you said,” said Salveson.
Don’t oversell. “You need to provide a delicate balance between representing your background in the best possible light and overselling yourself. It’s important to make your case for why your experiences match the role – but if you ‘oversell,’ you may appear desperate,” said Stetson.
Don’t go on fishing expeditions. “Don’t interview with recruiters for jobs you have little interest in as a way to ‘get your name in front of an executive search firm,’” said Salveson. “Don’t commit to a client interview for a job you don’t feel is right for you. Talk to the search consultant about it. If you both agree it is the wrong role, move on.”
Lacking “executive presence.” “You may be the best qualified executive in your discipline, but if you can’t effectively communicate that to me in the interview, then I can’t move you forward in the process. Successful candidates present themselves as polished, personable, and confident executives,” said Stetson.
Springing surprises on recruiters. “Very early on in the process, be open about any barriers that exist to your accepting a position. Do you have a non-compete agreement? Are you unable to relocate for any length of time? Is the compensation well below what you really want? Search consultants and their clients hate surprises, so be an open book. These issues should be dealt with before you meet with an executive search consultant,” advises Salveson.
Treating the executive recruiter interview as a barrier that needs to be overcome so they can reach the ‘real’ interview with the client company. “Treat your interview with the search consultant as a chance to better understand the job and company, assess whether the position is of serious interest to you, and determine if the role truly is a good fit,” said Stetson.
Trying to stretch their experience to fit every single desired qualification. “If there are gaps between your experience and the requirements for the position, talk to the search consultant about it openly and honestly. Don’t try to convince the recruiter you fit every single qualification if you really don’t,” said Salveson. About Salveson Stetson GroupSalveson 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. MEDIA CONTACT: |
