The Core Four Questions Every Executive Must Nail in an Interview
If there is a single constant that I can share after helping thousands of executives prepare for thousands of interviews—it’s that you cannot predict what will be asked of you.
It’s one of the many reasons I strongly advocate for you to take ownership of the interview process and lead the questions yourself. You can better predict your performance.
I have found, however, through all of the interview preparation, brainstorming, planning, and listening to executive “game film,” — a common thread in what hiring executives will always need to understand about you.
I call these questions the ‘core four.’
Top executives know that the best defense is a great offense, and that’s why these are the four questions that you must always nail to be taken seriously—whether they are asked or not.
- Tell me about yourself. This isn’t an invitation to recite your LinkedIn profile. It’s your 60-second commercial. Hit the highlights and tease your biggest wins. More elevator pitch — less history lesson.
- Why did you leave your last position? Careful. This is a minefield. No sob stories, no trash talk. Keep it professional, future-focused, and brief. If you can’t explain it in 30 seconds without sweating, you need to workshop it.
- What’s next for you? This is where you paint the picture of their company’s glorious future—with you at the helm. Be ambitious but not arrogant. Show them you’ve done your homework and you’re already solving their problems in your head.
- What are your salary expectations? The golden rule: Whoever speaks first, loses. Deflect, defer, and if pushed, give details on how you’re compensated—but not how much.
I advise weaving the first three into a single monologue at the beginning of an interview and asking a forward-focused follow-up question to take the wind out of any counterattack.
Sometimes, it means that you never have to drill into your past again, and you can focus all of the interviews on solving their problems instead of waxing poetic on your past.
For example:
Them: Nice to meet you. How about you tell me about yourself?
You: I’m a husband and father, and I have been an executive in marketing for 15 years. I’ve led teams up to 25 and had 4 exits—but I suspect you’re most interested in the hyper-growth period from my time at XYZ when we grew from $40 to $140 million. Why Did You Leave & What’s Next For You? That’s one of the reasons I’m interested in our call today—the growth opportunity looks very real, which is something I was lacking in my last 2 roles—and ultimately why I’m choosing to go to an organization focused on big growth.
Turn the conversation around with a question
You: Let me ask you, why are you most interested in speaking with me? Was I right about your interest in growing XYZ? I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to go into the weeds as we get to know each other, but how can I best show up for you on today’s call? What’s most important for you to know about me?
Focus on little to no buzzwords — no grief. Right to the meat of the interview.
If they ask you about money at this stage—it’s too early. Refer to this article for more details on how to deflect.
Master these four questions, and you’re making serious progress during an executive interview gauntlet.
Flub them, and you might as well have “mid-level manager” tattooed on your forehead.
Remember, in the arena of executive interviews, there are no participation trophies. You either win the job or you keep looking.
Now get out there and crush it.
Stay fearless, friends.
See you next week.