One of the things we’re asked about most during an intro call is interview preparation – specifically, how it looks different as a senior level candidate. While there’s no shortage of tips online for fresh college grads, how you prepare for interviews changes as you move through your career. While all the basics still apply (yes, you should still send a follow up note), what companies are looking for from senior level interviews goes beyond resumes and basic skills.
Here are the top 5 questions candidates ask when preparing for senior level interviews:
Q1: How should I prepare differently for interviews as a senior candidate?
A: Preparation for leadership level interviews goes beyond reviewing a company’s website and a job description (although, you should still do those things). As a senior candidate, ensure you’re familiar with the company’s market position by reviewing recent headlines, stock market trends, or public board reports. Try to identify the company’s strategic priorities and their leadership culture so you can paint a clear picture of how you will align with their goals or help solve their pain points.
Action Item: Build a SWOT analysis and bring a point-of-view on each strength, weakness, opportunity and threat.
Q2: How do I handle the “tell me about yourself” question at this point in my career?
A: As a junior candidate, this question is often focused on practical skills. As a senior candidate, this is your opportunity to shape your leadership narrative. Share the results you’ve delivered in previous roles and how you’ve balanced data with vision to achieve impactful traction.
Action Item: Use a structured storytelling method (like CSR – Challenge, Solution, Result) to clearly demonstrate how your leadership style has driven measurable business outcomes and supported organizational goals.
Q3: How do I address gaps, transitions, or shifts in my career path?
A: Careers are rarely linear, and the further you progress the more winding the path becomes. When talking about transitions, focus on how each new opportunity added value to your leadership skills or made you more adaptable. Most importantly, think through how you’ll connect the dots from your previous experiences to what the company needs now to make yourself stand out from other candidates.
Action Item: Map relevant experiences and practice communicating how they enabled you to navigate ambiguity, build resilience, or bring fresh perspectives to strategic challenges. “During [time period], I [activity], which strengthened my [leadership/adaptability skill], now allowing me to [lead teams/manage change more effectively].”
Q4: How should I handle tough questions about failures or setbacks?
A: As a leader responsible for setting the direction of a company, failures are more than just a blip on the radar. Setbacks can have major implications for a company’s bottom line and growth trajectory, so answering these questions about your previous experiences the right way is crucial. Focus on accountability, showing resilience, and articulating how you adapted your style or strategies based on learnings.
Action Item: Prepare a clear narrative using the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) framework, and emphasize how you learned from the event and adapted your leadership style or strategy
Q5: What types of questions should I ask the interviewer?
A: Questions are more than just an opportunity to gather information – use them to demonstrate your ability to think strategically. Ask detailed questions about the company’s big picture like executive team priorities in the next 6-12 months, vision for growth in the next 5 years, or ways the company is considering diversifying based on market demand or pressures. And of course, don’t just move on once you’ve been given an answer – respond to those answers with anecdotes or approaches to demonstrate how you could play a role in that future.
Action Item: As you’re researching the company’s strategy, culture, and challenges (remember Step 1?), craft 3–5 high-level questions that demonstrate executive insight. Anticipate answers and prepare responses.
With more than 30 years of experience building teams, we specialize in helping leaders position themselves for their next big opportunity. We’d love the opportunity to help you prepare for your next interview – reach out to book a consultation today.