What questions to ask a candidate for a leadership position. Think about your nonverbal behavior

The more responsible the position, the more carefully candidates are selected. Very high demands are placed on managers of all ranks. These people will have to manage the team in conditions of constant change and development of the market.

Before you think about how to interview for a leadership position, you should make a sound assessment of your capabilities and abilities. In order to become a leader, you must have leadership qualities, both innate and acquired. If you have strong leadership abilities, you can become a leader without any management experience. And the presence of education, a high intellectual level, a suitable specialty and experience is only the necessary minimum for further advancement.

What should a leader be like?

There are some qualities that will help you achieve a leadership position:

• have a clear life position, a real goal and a desire to achieve it;
• be positive in achieving success, look into the future with confidence;
• be able to work in a team, properly build relationships with partners and managers;
• make decisions quickly and clearly in any situation;
• discipline and organize oneself and the team;
• be able to gain authority and respect from subordinates and managers;
• be ready to use any innovations in work, be creative and modern;
• have the desire and ability to engage in self-education and self-development;
• make optimal use of all available resources: human, material and others;
• be responsible, hardworking, efficient.

If you have all these listed qualities, feel great potential and desire, you can safely write a resume and prepare for an interview. You have a chance to pass it successfully.

What to pay attention to when preparing for an interview

You have all the necessary leadership skills. Now the question arises of how to show these abilities to the employer or interviewer at an interview. He should not only hear from you that you are ready for a leadership position, but also see from your appearance. It should be clear from you that you are a mature personality with a clearly developed position. Your appearance is proof that you have developed your own image, and it is combined with the position for which you are applying (since, after all, people are greeted by their clothes). And most importantly, in the race to externally demonstrate your readiness to be a leader, do not forget to make sure that everything looks natural and unobtrusive.

"No!" excitement

Try to get rid of anxiety, as it creates tension, and this can prevent you from achieving success. On the contrary, you must look convincing and confident - do not forget that you are applying for a management position!

Choose the right pose

There is no need to cross your arms or legs - with these gestures you are closing yourself off from your interlocutor, he can feel it, and many of the interviewers know sign language very well. The best position in this case is to put your hands on the table or just keep them on your knees. Don't forget to keep your posture. Calmly and directly look your interlocutor in the eyes - this is an indicator of confidence and honesty.

Watch your speech

Of course, first of all, she must be literate, speak exclusively to the point, concisely, but, at the same time, not dryly and unambiguously. The ability to communicate is one of the necessary qualities of a leader.

Think carefully about your appearance

It must correspond to the position for which you want to apply. First of all, clothes, shoes and hair should be clean and tidy, accessories should be tastefully chosen, hair and makeup should be natural, hands should be well-groomed. In a word, you must be perfect, but not pretentious.

Be positive and open

Such people attract others, and this is important for a leader. The interlocutor should feel the energy and desire to work, your mood for success and enthusiasm as a future leader.

Collect information about the company in advance

Prepare answers to questions that may be asked. When the interviewer tells you about the company, you can demonstrate your knowledge and even ask a few questions about it, for example, about the prospects for developing work in a bank, in Sberbank. By doing so, you will demonstrate your competence, intelligence and readiness to lead.

Types of non-traditional interviews

You should know that there are several types of interviews for applicants for a leadership position and it is not a fact that you will have a traditional conversation that you roughly imagine. Therefore, you must be prepared for some challenges and surprises. So, what are the types of interviews?

1. Identification of competence. At such an interview, you will be offered any difficult situation that may arise at work. The goal is to test how you will behave. Or they will simply ask you to tell us what difficult work moments you had and how you found a way out of it.
2. Stressful interview - it can be conducted in different ways: they shout at you, speak dismissively or completely ignore you. The goal is to try to keep the candidate off balance. Keep in mind that this is a test of stress tolerance and patience. You should smile in response - it's better than being angry.
3. A panel interview is conducted by several people and each has their own criteria: one needs to learn about work experience in a leadership position, the second needs to observe how you can get out of this or that current situation, the third needs to test your psychological stability. Then everyone draws conclusions and presents them to the director.

Whatever of these tests awaits you, first of all, do not lose calm and goodwill, be thoughtful. Listen to all questions to the end, do not interrupt and, if necessary, ask again. If you are mentally prepared for all these tests during the interview, then have no doubt that you will pass it successfully.

So, you are applying for a management position in a successful company and are discussing the possibility of an interview with a recruiter. Your future responsibilities and work seem to you to be fully consistent with your competencies.

It's easy to say, but easy to do... A job interview is one of those events where you have to show your best self. You need to present your track record to its best advantage, but it should not be too long or too detailed. You need to behave relaxed, but at the same time not allow yourself to become overly relaxed. You should prepare in advance for typical interview questions, but your answers should not seem rehearsed. Each of your remarks must hit the mark. And achieving this is very difficult.

Naturally, you should try to find out as much as you can about the company and the people you are likely to talk to during the interview. The more information you can gather about the hiring manager, the more comfortable you will feel during the conversation. And the more you learn about the company, the easier it will be to ensure that your answers meet the requirements for the candidate.

In this article we will try to describe the entire interview procedure, from preparation to its actual completion. We will give you tips that will help you make a favorable first impression and correctly answer the questions asked. You will gain an understanding of verbal and non-verbal methods of communication that make sense to adopt or, conversely, avoid. We hope that thanks to our recommendations you will be able to score as many points as possible during the interview.

Preparation

The interview is designed to answer the question to what extent the candidate meets the requirements set by the company, whether he will cope with the responsibilities assigned to him, and whether he will be able to adapt to the corporate culture and working methods of the management team. When preparing for an interview, you need to think in advance about what questions might be asked and formulate competent answers. You should be prepared to answer the following questions:

What do you see as your strengths? It is necessary to emphasize those of your advantages that will help the company solve the problems it faces.

How would you characterize your management style? You might say something like, “I tend to favor top-down management, but I've noticed that if I involve people in the decision-making process, it's easier to get their buy-in, and the end result is almost always better.”

Why should we hire you? Re-explain how your strengths meet the company's needs.

What salary are you expecting? Be careful when answering this question. If you ask for too much, you will be removed from the list of candidates. And if you ask for too little, you will obviously sell yourself short. A good option in this case is to quote the results of an independent study and indicate a specific range. Even better, ask the person you are talking to talk about the nature of the compensation provided by the company.

You'll likely be asked about failed projects, too, so don't try to dodge when the hiring manager starts asking for details. Answer honestly, without trying to make excuses or become defensive. Avoid answers like, “It wasn’t really my fault,” or “I warned them it wouldn’t work.”

When talking about projects that didn't go according to plan for one reason or another, be sure to mention the actions you took, the end results, and the lessons learned. You can recall, for example, your appeals to other participants: “Having realized that we were not meeting the deadlines specified by the client, I immediately organized a series of meetings, talking with all the project executors. We were able to discuss the situation with the client and minimize losses. Ultimately, the client appreciated our frank position, and we were able to jointly develop a solution acceptable to all parties involved.”

Your interlocutor will probably ask what you see as your most serious shortcomings. Touch on just one flaw and tell us what measures you are taking to get rid of it. For example: “I’m not very good at speaking in public, but I try to take part in presentations to executives, which has improved my speaking level.”

You should not mention shortcomings in the fight against which you have not achieved any success. For example, if you say that you avoid conflict in any form, your interlocutor may think that you do not know how to manage conflict or that your management style is expressed in “burying your head in the sand.” Likewise, when you are asked if you have implemented at least one application program, but you do not have such experience, do not say that you do not have such experience, but that you can always learn if necessary. This is an unfortunate answer.

Remember that merely stating facts when answering questions is not enough. You need to describe everything so that the facts are presented in the most favorable light for you. When assessing applicants for a leadership position, the recruiting manager looks for good communication skills, the ability to propose constructive solutions at board meetings, and a willingness to take responsibility and lead a subordinate department. Instead of describing the areas for which you were responsible, tell us better about the incidents that took place. Illustrate your ability to solve emerging problems, find a successful way out of a difficult situation and achieve the desired result. Describe the current situation, the people involved and your actions, but to eliminate unnecessary digressions and details, adhere to the ODR model:

ABOUT- what circumstances or challenges did you have to face?
D- what actions did you take?
R- what results were achieved?

Try to supplement your answers with testimonials from trusted people who would emphasize the confidence and professionalism of your actions. It is advisable that it look like improvisation, and not like a rehearsed home preparation. Answers like: “I belong to the category of managers who are able to effectively solve any issues in the company” or “I am a workaholic, and until the project is completed, I am ready to work day and night without rest” sound too pompous. Don't cross the line that separates a great answer from an embellished one. In other words, don't try to make yourself look like a superhero, starting every sentence with "I," "me," and "my," and emphasizing your personal role.

Remember key events and dates related to both the company you came to work for and your own track record, so that you do not have to reach into your briefcase for information every time.

And finally, don’t think of yourself as an applicant for a vacant position. You are a unique means of solving business problems facing the company. Presenting yourself as the solution will give you the confidence that you can help the company achieve its strategic goals. And your confidence will be an additional factor for the hiring manager conducting the interview. Presenting yourself as a solution will help you define your role in the new company, successfully negotiate the compensation package you deserve, and participate as an equal member of the management team.

The most important day

On the day of your interview, you must arrive at least 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment. While you wait, think of yourself as the solution the company needs and expect the interview to go well. You can also observe employees entering and leaving the premises to understand how comfortable they feel there.

When entering the office where the interview will take place, smile, raise your head and straighten your shoulders. Firmly shake the hand of the person you will be talking to. When introducing each other, repeat his name with a smile. At every opportunity, address your interlocutor by name. Any person is always pleased to hear him. This will put your interlocutor in a friendly mood.

Don't sit down until you're asked to. If given a choice, avoid the sofa. You will fall into it like quicksand. Give preference to a hard chair. Sit up straight with your hands on your knees. Do not cross your arms or legs, as this indicates that you are becoming defensive.

While your interlocutor is speaking, show your attention by nodding your head from time to time and repeating the phrases he said. Make sure you understand the question correctly. Do not show that the answer has been prepared in advance. Try to guess what lies behind each question. The interlocutor, for example, may ask if you have ever taken part in the process of implementing an SAP system, but in fact he is interested in how smoothly the implementation went, whether it was completed on time and within the allotted budget.

If you don't know how best to answer a question, pause or make a clarifying comment that allows you to gain time and better formulate your answer.

Behave naturally during the conversation. Gesture. Smile at the slightest provocation. Smiling will help you feel confident. Look directly into the eyes of your interlocutor. If you are talking to a whole group of people, linger for a long time on each of them, without allowing your eyes to constantly move from one face to another.

The interview should start off well and you should be able to relax a bit. But don't take unnecessary liberties by making ill-considered comments or being overly familiar. During the interview process, it is necessary to maintain distance and show respect for the interlocutor. Don't say anything bad about your current employer, even if you are encouraged to do so. Only bring up the topic of salary if you are asked about it directly.

At the end of the conversation, the interlocutor usually asks if you have any questions. Regardless of whether you are asked to ask them or not, ask about the following:

What does the company expect from candidates for this position?

How will your performance be assessed?

What tasks will you have to solve first?

Do not ask anything about the company that can be found in open Internet sources.

When the procedure comes to an end, ask whether your interlocutor received all the information he was interested in. Offer additional information, especially if you have not been asked questions that you believe are relevant to the position. Do not offer any background information unless asked to do so.

At the end of the interview, you have one last chance to show that you really want the position. Suppressing any hint of despair in your voice, demonstrate your sincere, positive interest. You might say, for example: “The opportunities here are extremely important to me. Do you still have any questions regarding my candidacy?” Ask what will happen next. And remember: the first impression made is the most important during an interview. The idea that your counterpart develops by the end of the conversation plays a secondary role.

Summarize the meeting immediately after it ends. Make note of areas where your answers were not convincing enough so that you can correct this impression in subsequent correspondence. In addition, if you are planning any kind of continuation, you will probably want to remember who said what.

Send the employee who conducted the interview a letter of gratitude for the attention paid to you, additionally argue why you are a good fit for the specified position and express your readiness to provide any other information that interests the HR manager at the first request.

Continue to remind yourself regularly, but not intrusively. And remember: the person who wants it most often gets the job.

Kevin Daly and Dale Clamforth are among the senior management team at Communispond, which specializes in coaching clients in management and sales skills, presentation preparation and communication skills.

Kevin Daley and Dale Klamfoth. How to Ace an Executive-Level Job Interview. CIO Magazine. March 11, 2008

We all know the common phrase: “The bad soldier is the one who does not dream of becoming a general.” We beg to differ with her, because in the pharmaceutical market there are often examples when successful specialists are not at all interested in career growth due to a change in their responsibilities. Indeed, for example, for a medical representative, a higher position as a regional manager implies a new level of responsibility and a large number of business trips, and for a senior pharmacist, the position of pharmacy manager can mean an increase in working hours, management functions and financial responsibility. However, this article is aimed at those pharmaceutical market specialists who are interested in promotion.

Possible career options

It is worth considering separately two possible options for career growth: promotion within your company or moving to a higher position in a new company.

The “promotion within your company” option may seem easier: it’s enough to be an effective employee and grow within your competencies, indicate your career ambitions to your immediate manager and wait for the corresponding position to appear. However, this is not always easy to implement in practice for a number of reasons.

Firstly, the company structure may not imply the presence of a corresponding position, especially if we are not talking about the central Moscow office, but about work in the regions.

Secondly, a manager may not always be interested in an effective specialist who consistently implements the plan leaving his team.

Therefore, it often turns out that it is easier to grow in a position in a new company. However, even in this case, we suggest that you be patient, since not every company that announces a competition for a leadership position is ready to consider candidates without experience in the relevant position. Nevertheless, such positions periodically appear on the market. Let's look at how to prepare for a competition for a leadership position.

Find a mentor

First, enlist the support of one of the current managers - this could be your current manager if you have a trusted professional relationship with him. It often happens that an experienced and competent manager, seeing that an employee of his team has grown professionally, but the regional structure of the company does not provide opportunities for his career growth, is internally ready for dialogue on this topic. After all, a professionally burnt-out employee who is no longer interested in his functionality often stops bringing results to the team. In this case, you can act openly: indicate to the manager your career ambitions and agree that he will help you develop the relevant competencies. In turn, you will continue to work, without reducing efficiency, within the framework of your current position until the opportunity arises to leave the team with a promotion. However, this is an ideal option, which is not so often found in practice. If for one reason or another you do not want to discuss the issue of career development with your immediate supervisor, then a manager from a third-party company, for example, your manager from your previous job, can become your mentor in this matter.

Contact a professional recruiter

You can get useful advice from a recruitment agency. Make a professional acquaintance with a consultant who selects employees for the position of regional managers. Not a single competent recruiter will refuse to help you and give you advice on how best to pass an interview at a particular company, what competencies are important for the position you are applying for, and how best to “sell” your experience and skills. In addition, he will tell you what is known on the market about this company, and whether there are any pitfalls. After all, every recruitment agency consultant understands that today you are a candidate, and tomorrow you can become its client.

Read specialized literature

Without having practical experience in performing certain (in this case, managerial) tasks, you need to ideally prepare theoretically in order to clearly understand the entire scope of functionality when passing the interview. Refer to professional literature. S.V. Paukov, widely known for his “Guide for a Medical Representative of a Pharmaceutical Company,” is also the author of the book “Regional Management.” Of course, there are other books and publications on this topic, they can be found both on the Internet and in the relevant sections of bookstores. We also recommend reading the relevant forums and thematic sections of pharmaceutical websites.

Do you want to know what skills you need to improve in order to become a good leader? Take part in the webinar What qualities should a real leader have? November 23 at 13:00 Moscow time!

Expand your functionality

When preparing for an interview for a higher position, do not forget about practice. If this is correct in your case, ask your manager to delegate a number of his responsibilities to you. Many managers will be happy to delegate some of their tasks to you, as this allows them to relieve themselves. This is an invaluable opportunity for you: during the interview, you can confidently say that you have the necessary skills. In addition, part of the competition for a managerial position in pharmaceutical companies is often an assessment center (a method of comprehensive personnel assessment, including tests and business games), where, as a rule, the skills of applicants are tested on specific cases. In this case, your personal experience in performing a number of managerial tasks will be useful.

Work is a fundamental aspect of every person's life. All people want to achieve more, advance in their careers and occupy leadership positions. But few people are aware of how to interview for a leadership position. Interviewing for a managerial position is a more complex process than hiring an ordinary employee. The manager must perform as well as possible during the interview. It is necessary to demonstrate all the skills inherent in a real leader.

A leadership position is a great responsibility. A manager must not only be the most knowledgeable and productive person in his field, but also be a true leader. What are leadership qualities? After reading the article, you will understand what character qualities a leader should have and how to demonstrate them in an interview.

An ordinary person will not be accepted for a leadership position. The person applying for this position must be the best.

However, do not forget that during the interview they choose not only you, but also you.

You should start by observing simple rules of etiquette and behavior that will distinguish a real leader from an ordinary person.

• Politeness. Talk to the person interviewing you politely, but not as if your fate depends on him. Speak openly and honestly. Give the impression of being a serious person.

• Self-confidence. Remember that you also choose your place of work. Analyze everything you see and ask yourself if this job is right for you.

• Awareness. Before going to an interview, try to find out as much information as possible about the company you want to work for. Be sure to check out their recent activities. Thanks to this, you can easily answer the question of why you chose this organization.

• Deep knowledge in your field. Don't be afraid to show off your knowledge. In an interview, you need to prove that you have a good understanding of your field, not just a superficial one.

Components of a Leader

Now it’s worth paying attention to the character qualities that a real leader should have. These components include:

• Proactivity.
• The ability to see the end goal.
• Ability to manage time and use it wisely.
• A type of thinking focused on mutually beneficial relationships between employees and managers.
• Ability to work in a team and lead people.

Now, let's look at each quality separately.

Proactivity

Many people have never heard of this word and do not understand its meaning.

Proactivity is a person’s ability to see and solve problems where no one sees him. Such a person does not pay attention to distractions on the way to his goal.

It is very important to show at the interview that you are a goal-oriented person who is able to see solutions to complex problems.

A proactive person takes the initiative into his own hands, rather than waiting for someone else to do it for him. It will demonstrate during the interview that you are capable of taking matters into your own hands.

The ability to see the end goal

What is the difference between an ordinary person and a leader? An ordinary person does something without knowing where it will lead him. A leader knows why he is doing his work and where it will lead him.

The leader's task is to lead the team to the final goal, without going astray and without being distracted by extraneous factors. Show in the interview that you can do this. Propose a solution to a problem as a goal for your work in this company. State what you think needs to be done to solve the problem.

Ability to manage time and use it wisely

The list of powers and responsibilities of a manager is greater than that of an ordinary employee, which means that he must manage to do more during the day.

A true leader must be able to structure his day in such a way that he has enough time for everything.

No one will hire a person who does not know how to manage his time to a leadership position, because this means that he will be late for meetings and meetings, not submit work on time, and thereby reduce the productivity of the company.

A type of thinking aimed at mutually beneficial relationships between employees and managers

An ordinary employee thinks at work about his benefits: how not to get fired from work and get a bonus. A true leader must think not only about his own benefit, but also the benefit of his employees.

Before the interview, think about how you could improve the atmosphere within the team, unite it and increase the efficiency of teamwork. You can offer to conduct trainings, joint games and meetings where everyone can express what they are dissatisfied with.

This way, the person who hires you will see that you care not only about yourself, but also about the people who work in this organization.

Ability to work in a team and lead people

Every company wants to see a leader who can rally the team and lead them. One person cannot do all the work; great projects are the result of the work of the whole team. That is why a leader must respect every person in his team.

The leader must also have public speaking skills. There are difficult times in different organizations. A person who can convince people not to despair and work for the sake of the company is worth a lot. Showcase your speaking skills and you will gain more respect in the eyes of your future employer.

So, getting an interview is not difficult if you have leadership skills and understand why you need the job.

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