Winning in Interviews - Part Two
Winning in Interviews - Part Two
The second in a series of articles by The Times, Spectator, Guardian and Independent journalist Maggie Pagano, detailing the rules of interviewing well with a headhunter.
Spotting an exceptional candidate at interview is easy, says Lindsay Leslie-Miller, who runs the specialist search firm Hunter-Miller.
“You recognise stars as soon as they walk through the door. They are at ease, and want to play the game with you. They enjoy the rough and tumble of the interviewing process.”
“They are confident people but usually likeable and are able to be assertive. They like to take control of an interview which is no bad thing, and does not mean necessarily they have a massive ego” she says.
"It is how candidates handle a roasting which is revealing"
John Petter, the former CEO of BT Consumer and now CEO of Zellis, Joe Garner, chief executive of Nationwide Building Society and Paul Geddes, ex-Direct Line chief and now running QA, are a few examples of candidates that Hunter-Miller has placed over the years, and whom she describes as having shown brilliant leadership skills from early on in their careers.
“You just knew from the first minute you met them that they were going to shine. The outstanding candidates show high levels of intellect but also leadership qualities, including a level of emotional intelligence that sets them apart.”
She adds: “However, getting under the skin of even those candidates is essential. It is how candidates handle a roasting which is revealing for me.”
What are those top qualities and skills that search executives look out for most when interviewing? And what are the traps to watch out for?
"They must show they are articulate and possess structured, clear thinking"
Gavin O’Malley, Director, watches behaviours in interviews. “Candidates must show grit, and that they don’t mind taking tough questions. They should be able to see a topic from multiple perspectives, which suggests an open mind and flexibility.”
O’Malley adds that there is no need to be defensive about time spent away from work, including maternity leave – just be direct and frank with the interviewer. “What is crucial in interview situations is that they show their strengths and qualities. Of course, energy and ambition also go a long way.”
Dan Cottee looks for candidates who are intelligent, showing an ability to skip between subjects and retain information. “They must show they are articulate and possess structured, clear thinking. Rambling is not good. They should think through the questions they ask: these can unwittingly reveal thought processes and motivations.”
They also need to be self-disciplined, driving themselves to ensure that important details are done well.