Candidates
Candidates
You’re a great leader, so we want to connect you with great companies. We believe that your career journey should be carefully managed and directed. It is essential to have a plan for your long-term success.
Whilst we work closely with, and for our clients it’s important to acknowledge that pairing the right leadership candidate with the right opportunity is critical for success. We therefore recommend that you provide us with information about your experience, skills and future aspirations along with your CV and provide any further details about your professional experiences that would be interesting to our clients.
I find that after being contacted by recruitment agencies…
"Really happy with the care taken during the recruitment process. The consultants are actively working with you to get timely updates and feedback on the application to keep moving the process along."
"Can’t fault my experience with Next Move. They have found me a very exciting opportunity and one that perhaps, I wouldn't have found myself. They were in contact throughout the process, offering advise and guidance along the way!"
"Next Move Recruitment did such a nice and professional job. They provided all support I needed to be comfortable in such a difficult moment in career, following up everything and really walking together all the way. The delivery! Many thanks."
You can check out more reviews here.
So, are you ready for your next move? Then click here for our current vacancies.
Already spotted one to apply for? Then the key to success is to sell yourself well, research your potential employer and plan your interview – and here are a few tips that might help you in the process.
Your Resume
Your C-Level Executive CV/Resume
As a C-Level Executive, your CV or resume must show that you understand not only your role but also the bigger picture across a whole business. The focus should be on leadership, strategy and change.
Here are eight top tips to lay the groundwork and get you started:
1. Contact information
A Gmail address is very important to have on the resume. It says that you are up-to-date with technology (even if you personally aren’t). Putting an AOL email extension on your resume gives the reader a vision of an older, behind-the-times individual. A recent comment from an executive recruiter who reviewed a CEO resume that had an AOL email address, “My grandmother uses AOL. It’s so old-fashioned. I didn’t think people in business still used it.”
Listing your Visual CV URL and/or a LinkedIn profile link is also valuable to the reader and is an opportunity for them to obtain additional information from these sources. It shows your familiarity with Job Search Web 2.0 tools.
2. 10-second glance factor
Does your resume pass the 10-second glance test? It’s somewhat common knowledge these days that no matter what level you are at in business, when recruiters or executive hiring managers initially read a resume, they give it a 10-second glance. If you are unable to showcase your talent and accomplishments in such a way that they jump off the page, you may not get a second look.
3. Most important real estate on resume
The top one-fourth to one-third of your resume is critical. It allows you to show the reader at a glance who you are, what you have done, and what you can do for them. Some call this the profile area, or summary. What’s important to note is that the information relayed in this section needs to be clear, compelling and concise. Think of it as your marketing / branding section… your differentiators. When you are buying a product you want to know what benefit would I gain from purchasing this product? Is this the exact right product?
4. Vital ingredients for this section:
· Short two-sentence overview of candidate.
· Three accomplishments featured that emphasize top talents
· Keywords
· Degrees, certifications, languages, and experience that relates to the potential position
In the sample below you can see how effective this formula can be:
GLOBAL CEO
Industrial Products | High-Volume Distribution | Competitive Worldwide Markets | Global 500 Customers
Strategic and performance-focused executive with 15+ years of innovative, energetic leadership in US, Asia, Latin America, and Europe. Expert in leveraging global resources, capabilities, and relationships to gain advantage in outsourcing/low-cost country sourcing arenas. Motivational leader known for clearly defining mission and goals, aligning people and resources, and consistently delivering results that exceed expectations:
• First profitable year in history of U.S. business unit, stemming 6 years of multimillion-dollar losses.
• $50M value creation in 5 years, leading Asian start-up from concept to $104M in profitable revenue.
• Quick penetration of Latin American market segment and growth to 10% of company sales in 5 years.
MBA, Harvard Executive Education, Brown BA. Fluent French and Spanish, conversational Mandarin.
5. Keywords
Yes, even C-Level executives need to be conscious of keywords in their resumes. Recruiters will run the resume through a keyword search, particularly if the position is in an industry where it is paramount that top-level management have expertise in certain key areas or have specific management skills. These keywords can be filtered throughout the resume and highlighted in the profile or summary area.
6. Experience
Avoid writing your resume as a series of job descriptions. Focus on your accomplishments that tell your success story. Generalities don’t make the grade. Quantified accomplishment-based statements in the experience section show a true C-Level’s value. What has been the key impact you have had in each position? Have you delivered stellar profit increases? Turned around underperforming organizations? Achieved industry “firsts” or unprecedented results in your organization, etc.? For example: “Drove revenue and income growth of 45% over a 9-month period, through growth and acquisitions.”
7. Length
Resumes today are being read electronically on computers, iPhones, and other mobile devices. Therefore, the resume should be kept to two pages, three tops. I know, I know, you are a C-level executive and deserve more space to talk about all of your successes, however, a longer resume just doesn’t hit the mark today. Visual CVs (online resume) and LinkedIn profiles, can highlight more details. A resume should reflect the last 10-15 years of experience in detail. This helps keep the resume length inline as well as showing the most current experience. Sometimes experience from over 15 years ago has been replaced by updated processes. The accomplishments themselves are still valid and of value, however, some of the “how” is outdated.
8. File formats
There are several ways to submit resumes to employers, recruiters and executive hiring managers, so having various file formats is helpful. A word document, plain text and PDF are the common formats that are usable in most submissions. Also having a Visual CV/resume is also helpful to have with supplemental information as mentioned earlier.
It is essential as a C-level executive to distinguish yourself from other senior-level management. Using some of these tips will help you create a C-level resume and add to your success in getting the attention of the recruiter and getting called for an interview.
Here is a useful link providing examples of a C-Suite resume:
Interview preparation
Job interviews are challenging, especially when you’re interviewing at the C-suite level. Candidates must go through many obstacles to demonstrate their level of competency, skills and passion for their profession.
How can potential executives excel at their C-suite interview? What can they do to showcase their abilities to be the perfect candidate for an executive position?
1. Prepare for Executive-Level Interview Questions
When preparing for an interview at a C-suite level, one must practice answering questions related directly to a leadership role. Take the liberty to provide the answers to possible questions employers might ask.
Executive-type interview questions involve things that a hiring manager will use to study your qualifications as a candidate. They will look for examples of leadership skills, communication style, conflict resolution and management style.
Lastly, prepare a list of questions to ask the interviewer. This part of the interview is the perfect time to understand the expectations of the position and see whether someone is the right fit for the job.
Be aware of these types of questions that might be asked during the interview:
· What is your management style?
· How do you handle conflict?
· What are your strengths and weaknesses?
· Have you ever failed on a team project? How did you handle it?
· Has your work ever been criticized by your supervisor?
· What successful projects have you had in your previous job?
· What strategy would you use to increase company revenue?
· What are the most challenging aspects of being a manager?
2. Mentally Prep for the Interview
One thing to remember is that the company wants to recognize the best candidate for the position. An excellent way to mentally prepare for a C-suite interview is to practice answering questions. Candidates potentially feel stumped on specific queries, so it’s always practical to prepare for the most challenging ones before the meeting.
Also, pay close attention to body language, maintain eye contact, and listen and observe when the interviewer is talking. These recommendations are required if a candidate were to excel on the day of a C-suite interview.
3. Research the Company
The best way to prepare for a C-suite interview is to research the company and the position before applying. Making an effort to learn about the business can prepare anyone for a successful interview.
Candidates should study the company’s culture, get to know who works in the C-suite, capture a good understanding of the business’s financial position and learn the corporate strategy.
Interviewees can begin prepping their research by looking at social media and the latest industry updates. Gather intel regarding the company’s challenges and overall goals for the future. Then assess strengths that can align with the business’s goals and use this information to an advantage when stepping into the interview.
The Interview
1. Dress to Impress
Choose to wear formal attire when walking into an interview. Outfits for any corporate interview should be professional and conservative. A suit and tie or pantsuit are the ideal choices for winning a corporate role. Be sure to wear traditional colours such as grey or navy.
Avoid having bad breath during the interview, and make sure to trim those nails neatly. Details on the way one looks matters when it comes to first impressions. The aim, overall, is to look the part and appear as an expert.
2. Be Considerate During the Interview
Anyone interviewing for an executive position might be used to taking charge but consider stepping back a bit and let the interviewer take the lead. This part of the process matters because it displays the candidate’s interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
The hiring manager won’t just look at how much experience one acquires but also examine relationship-building skills. It’s essential to consider the connection between the interviewer and the candidate.
3. Communicate Effectively
Communication is a large part of how candidates demonstrate their soft skills during an interview. Most applicants who interview for a C-suite position tend to focus on strategy more than providing a direct answer.
Avoid going into too much detail when answering questions and try to get straight to the point. It’s adequate not to waste the hiring manager’s time during an answer, so make sure to provide the direct response first, then explain further in detail whenever possible.
4. Tailor Your References
Candidates must gather a list of references who are familiar with their work. Take time to ask them if they would be willing to answer any questions about the job performance and relationship style that one possesses.
At a C-suite position, hiring managers will check in with references to learn more about the candidate’s character, personality traits, team player skills, leadership qualities and much more. The objective is to learn more about the candidate to gather various inputs on their team leadership skills.
5. Take Initiative to Break the Ice
It’s normal to get that jittery feeling before starting an interview, but this is the perfect opportunity to make an excellent first impression. Instead of letting the interviewers ignite the conversation, take the initiative to make an introduction first.
Starting the interaction showcases a candidate’s strengths and personality, and the hiring manager will see what kind of team player the candidate is.
6. Be Prepared to Talk About Career Goals
Candidates must display their effectiveness when talking about their passions and how they see themselves as qualifying leaders. Prepare to talk about changes that one can use to improve the organization. To excel at a C-suite interview, applicants have to look within themselves and understand what steps they can take to embody daily changes.
How can they better the team and workplace environment? What parts of oneself are used to manage conflicting situations? Can the candidate make continual progress that will help shape the organization entirely?
This part of the interview process is where candidates must demonstrate their level of understanding of success. Hiring managers take an interest in how candidates thrive in the work environment. It’s vital to discuss business strategy and how it relates to company growth to succeed in a C-suite interview.
7. Mention Accomplishments
When the interviewer asks questions about past experiences, people tend to discuss their responsibilities in their position. Job descriptions do matter when talking about work history. However, when someone is required to respond, they should provide answers that focus on accomplishments as well.
Here are Six of The Best Interview Questions to ask C-Suite Executives:
1. How would you describe your leadership style?
Any C-Suite position is fundamentally about leadership. The best executives maximize the talent working under them. Any review of a potential top employee should start with an assessment of their leadership qualities. What better way to get a sense of this than asking them directly? Your goal here is to spark a conversation. With the question, you mark leadership as a core trait and get to hear your candidate’s thoughts on the subject.
2. How do you get the most out of your team?
Drill down on the leadership question. Candidates will be tempted to give philosophical responses. You want to know more about the nitty-gritty, everyday policies they plan to enact.
That’s what this question brings. Encourage them to share details and to itemize past experiences. Learn the concrete actions they would use to inspire their teams.
3. What steps would you take to further our company’s culture?
Culture is a key aspect of any company’s operations. One study showed that 92% of executives thought that a strong culture improved a company’s value, while more than half attributed a direct link with attributes like profitability, productivity, and growth.
Another study underlined the financial advantages of a healthy culture. The data, compiled by Gallup, indicated that the talent boost that comes with an attractive cultural structure can lead to 33% higher revenue. How do you develop this kind of winning culture? Well, values and attitudes largely get determined from the top. You want your incoming leader to contribute to culture. This question lets you know how they plan to do that.
4. What do you think is missing at our company right now?
Get specifics about what your C-Suite aspirant wants to do at your company. You’ll want them to make bold plans and improve your operations over time. This question will give you an early glimpse into that thought process. It could have a benefit even with the candidates you don’t ultimately choose. Think of it like taking a survey of top-level executive candidates. If you hear the same issue over and over, you’ll know what to target once your new leadership is in place.
5. What traits do you admire in a leader?
Ask your C-Suite hopeful about their own traits and you’re likely to get a practiced response. You’ll gain some information, but it will be hard to peek behind the curtain. You also want to pose a question that will unlock some insight into your candidate’s personality. This question works because it comes at the issue from an unexpected angle. Your candidate is likely to relax and give a less-practiced response.
By hearing what they admire in other leaders, you can learn what they strive to become. This will let you know more about what kind of manager they will be. You’ll also get a hint at what they hope to become over time, offering you some visibility about their preferred path of development.
6. Describe a time when one of your decisions failed. How did you respond?
Not everything will always go as planned. You can hire a leader with the best ideas and a unique ability to execute a strategy. But that won’t guarantee success. Markets can change. Unexpected events can get in the way – you don’t have to go any further back than 2020 to see that. Given these realities, you better get a sense of how your C-Suite candidate will respond to setbacks.