Executive Recruiter Mock Interview

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

Question 6 of 30

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

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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.

"I know that not every client will see what I see in a candidate. Rather than focusing on a hard 'no,' I will ask the client to tell me specifically what they felt the candidate was missing. Their response may be a trainable skill or attribute or something that I did not uncover in my candidate, allowing me to go back and dig deeper with that person rather than eliminate them from the competition. It's important never to take rejection personally. I am a problem solver so when a client and I disagree on the quality of a candidate; I want to know the hard facts versus the feelings behind their decision."

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.

There will be times when you think you've hit the jackpot and found the best candidate possible. You excitedly present the candidate to your client and whomp whomp...they don't feel the magic in return. The interviewer would like to know how you would handle a situation like that. Rather than becoming upset, sulky, or disappointed, show that you pick yourself up, realign client expectations, and keep going!

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.

"This type of scenario can be especially challenging when working on a contingent fee structure because we want to fill the role quickly and earn our fee. Sometimes clients need to be reminded of what the marketplace is offering, based on the salary they are willing to pay. If a client disagrees with the quality of my candidate, I am sure to remove any emotion from the equation and come back to them with facts and results from data analysis and benchmarking. When a client can compare scenario A, B, and C, they are much more likely to make an educated decision and see your position more clearly."

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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

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

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?