As one of the top recruitment agencies, Peoplelink knows that hiring for leadership positions is one of the most difficult responsibilities companies face. Some candidates can certainly “sell it” in an interview, but once they’re on the job, they fail to thrive.
And when it comes to leadership roles, a hiring mistake can have a significantly negative impact on your bottom line, making recruiting the right person – the first time – a mission critical task.
So if you’re looking to hire a leader, what can you do to ensure you bring someone aboard with the right skills and experience? To start, during the interview process, you should focus on two vital attributes of leaders:
- The ability to deliver positive results (strong sales numbers, streamlined processes, a track record of cutting costs, etc.); and
- Strong interpersonal skills (ability to build relationships and communicate well).
With those traits in mind, here are 9 key questions to ask to help you hire a strong leader:
- Explain a situation when you faced an unexpected issue and how you resolved it.
- Tell me about a time you faced conflict with another person at work and what you did to deal with it.
- Describe a time you faced a difficult outlook. What did you do to motivate yourself and your team to overcome it.
- Describe a time when you had to sell your idea to a group of people.
- When you started your last position, how did you go about building relationships with your subordinates and your supervisors?
- What would your former employees and/or supervisors have to say about working with you?
- Describe the professional achievement you’re most proud of. Why?
- Explain a time you made a mistake while leading a team. What happened?
- What unique value do you think you’d bring to this position and to our company?
Need Help Hiring a Leader?
If you’d like professional help to fill an important leadership role at your company, give us a call. As one of the top recruitment agencies, Peoplelink has a solid track record of recruiting and placing top-tier talent with some of the leading companies around the country. Contact Peoplelink today to learn more.
