Executive Recruiter Mock Interview

Practice 30 Executive Recruiter interview questions covering candidate sourcing, client relations, and assessment techniques.

Question 7 of 30

Have you ever worked on retainer?

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Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"Every role that I currently take on is on a contingency fee, to be paid 90 days after my candidates begin their job. I am aware that some recruitment firms take retainers; however, I have not done so in my career. Do you take retainers here at ABC Agency? I would love to learn more about the practice of taking a retainer, and when it's appropriate."

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

When an executive recruiter takes payment from a client upfront, that is called a retainer. Many retainer agreements ask for 25% to 50% of the placement fee upfront, which can be very costly to clients. Other types of retainer agreements can contain partial payment for work due, or payment released in milestones but held in trust or escrow. This practice occurs in very high-end recruitment where many expenses first go out, in a robust candidate attraction strategy. The interviewer is trying to gain an idea of the level of clients with which you have worked. If you have never worked on retainer, show that you understand what it requires.

Rachelle Enns

Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.

"I estimate that 1/4 of my clients are on retainer. We take a retainer fee when the position is not exclusive to us, as a way to recoup expenses incurred when trying to attract the right talent for our clients. I work fast and effectively, quickly filling roles so for the most part, it does not make a difference to me whether or not a client is on retainer."

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30Executive Recruiter Interview Questions & Answers

Experience

1.In which industry have you made the most executive placements, this year?

Accomplishment

2.Tell me about the most prestigious placement you have made in your executive recruitment career.

Education

3.In which ways do you lean on your formal education, as an Executive Recruiter?

Stress

4.In your experience, what is the most challenging part of working with executive-level candidates?

Experience

5.How do you evaluate the job performance of an executive candidate who is under a non-disclosure agreement?

Behavioral

6.How do you react when you and your client disagree on the quality of a candidate?

Salary

7.Have you ever worked on retainer?

Performance

8.What sales methods work best for you when approaching new clients?

Behavioral

9.Walk me through your approach when asked to poach a specific executive for your client.

Experience

10.Do you have experience working with expats?

Scenario Based

11.Have you ever had a project fall apart, last minute? How did you react, and what steps did you take to recover the deal?

Competency

12.How do you quickly learn industry terminology for roles that are new to you?

Customer Service

13.In which ways do you act as a partner and consultant to your esteemed clients?

Salary

14.What are your salary expectations?

Competency

15.You will face very senior professionals in this role. How do you embody poise and professionalism?

Experience

16.Tell me about your experience making project bids and completing RFPs.

Leadership

17.Do you have experience leading junior associates and researchers? What skills and characteristics make you a strong leader?

Competency

18.Tell me about your experience in pitch preparation and giving presentations to groups of decision makers.

Leadership

19.How do you contribute as a thought leader in the executive recruitment industry?

Career Goals

20.How do you plan to broaden your consulting skills, and your business development skills over the next 12 months?

Experience

21.Walk me through the types of placements you have made as an Executive Recruiter. In which industries are most interested?

Creative Thinking

22.How do you use data and analytics in your recruitment process?

Education

23.Executive recruitment requires a lot of high-end selling. Do you have any sales training?

Customer Service

24.How do you maintain relationships with your clients?

Diligence

25.How often do you look for opportunities to approach potential new clients?

Competency

26.When interviewing a candidate, what is the most important question you could ask?

Teamwork

27.When entering a new job, describe how you build relationships with your researchers, principal, and fellow recruiters.

Compatibility

28.Do you consider yourself a persuasive person?

Problem Solving

29.Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision without all the information you needed.

Stress

Executive Recruiter Mock Interview

Have you ever worked on retainer?

30Executive Recruiter Interview Questions & Answers

1.In which industry have you made the most executive placements, this year?

2.Tell me about the most prestigious placement you have made in your executive recruitment career.

3.In which ways do you lean on your formal education, as an Executive Recruiter?

4.In your experience, what is the most challenging part of working with executive-level candidates?

5.How do you evaluate the job performance of an executive candidate who is under a non-disclosure agreement?

6.How do you react when you and your client disagree on the quality of a candidate?

7.Have you ever worked on retainer?

8.What sales methods work best for you when approaching new clients?

9.Walk me through your approach when asked to poach a specific executive for your client.

10.Do you have experience working with expats?

11.Have you ever had a project fall apart, last minute? How did you react, and what steps did you take to recover the deal?

12.How do you quickly learn industry terminology for roles that are new to you?

13.In which ways do you act as a partner and consultant to your esteemed clients?

14.What are your salary expectations?

15.You will face very senior professionals in this role. How do you embody poise and professionalism?

16.Tell me about your experience making project bids and completing RFPs.

17.Do you have experience leading junior associates and researchers? What skills and characteristics make you a strong leader?

18.Tell me about your experience in pitch preparation and giving presentations to groups of decision makers.

19.How do you contribute as a thought leader in the executive recruitment industry?

20.How do you plan to broaden your consulting skills, and your business development skills over the next 12 months?

21.Walk me through the types of placements you have made as an Executive Recruiter. In which industries are most interested?

22.How do you use data and analytics in your recruitment process?

23.Executive recruitment requires a lot of high-end selling. Do you have any sales training?

24.How do you maintain relationships with your clients?

25.How often do you look for opportunities to approach potential new clients?

26.When interviewing a candidate, what is the most important question you could ask?

27.When entering a new job, describe how you build relationships with your researchers, principal, and fellow recruiters.

28.Do you consider yourself a persuasive person?

29.Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision without all the information you needed.

30.What do you believe to be the most significant change in recruitment this year?