Questions to Ask the Executive Recruiter in a Job Interview Screen

Here's a question I often get: when an executive recruiter approaches me and asks for my résumé, how should I reply?

Typically, once you send your résumé and answer their screening questions, you end up in a passive situation where they have all they need, leaving you in a passive position, awaiting their response.

This dynamic isn't beneficial and isn't fair.

It's unfair because they have all the information about you while you understand little about them and their needs. It doesn't even serve them or make their job easier.

In this video, I shared what to say and ask to demonstrate leadership while making the recruiter's job easier through respectful and professional interaction.

If you receive a message on LinkedIn or via email, you can respond with something like this: "Firstly, thank you for reaching out. Before I send my CV, I'd like to have a better understanding of the position to make sure my profile is relevant. Could we have a brief call to discuss this further? "

I ask for a 15 to 20-minute call because even if you're very busy, it's much easier to find 15 minutes than a 45-minute slot.

Once you have them on the call, here are the questions you should ask:

"What is it about my profile that makes you feel I might be a good fit for this position?"

This question is valuable for several reasons. It helps you understand what initially attracted them to your profile. If you later decide you're interested in the position, you can emphasize your achievements, track record, and experiences that align with the qualifications they mentioned.

Moreover, the more they articulate how they see you fit into the role, the less you need to sell yourself—they end up selling the position to you.

"Have you considered filling this position internally?"

This question is important because you want to know if you are competing with internal candidates. If you are, you might need to position yourself differently. You also want to understand the advantages you have over an internal candidate.

Most organizations prefer to give senior executive positions to internal candidates for several reasons:

Internal candidates are safer options because they are known to the top leadership team and the board and already work with various stakeholders, including other leaders in the team.

The second reason is speed. With these relationships already established, they can hit the ground running. External candidates could take much longer due to the hiring process, a long notice period, and a possible non-compete agreement with a former employer.

The third reason is cost. Hiring a C-suite executive externally costs more than promoting internally due to recruitment fees, onboarding expenses, higher salary negotiations, and longer integration periods. Cultural adaptation itself is a cost.

Internal candidates generally have a higher chance of securing senior positions, though this isn't always the case.

Personally, in my second Vice President role, I was hired externally by one of the largest companies in Sweden by market size.

This company has over 53,000 loyal employees and around 80% of the executives are developed and promoted internally. I had to understand why they didn't recruit internally for this position.

✅ Sign up for the free masterclass

6 Steps to Advance to a Senior Leadership Role for Higher Impact and Income (Even If  Opportunities Are Limited)

In this 1-hour executive masterclass, you’ll get my roadmap on how, after being stagnant in director positions for 8 years, I eventually advanced to vice president roles in Fortune 500 companies. You’ll also learn how I did so while living abroad in a male-dominated industry, all while raising young children with a full-time working husband.

Who is this for?

It’s specifically relevant to directors, managers, and team leaders with international careers who are high performers and have been consistently growing in their careers, but in recent years have found themselves stuck in middle management.

If this sounds like you, I’d love to invite you to this free executive masterclass. Save your spot here —it’s completely free.

"How long has the position been open?"

This question is critical because the longer a position remains open, the more desperate the hiring company may become. The longer a position is open, the more likely the company might realize that its initial requirements were too stringent and be willing to adjust.

When I was hiring myself, if a position wasn't filled in the first round after being posted, I would turn to external recruiters to help headhunt candidates. This process takes time. If it took too long, I would lower my standards and be willing to compromise on some criteria. This means candidates who were initially not qualified or did not meet all original criteria might now be considered.

To gain more context, if the position has been open for a while, ask:

"What has been missing in the candidates you have interviewed so far?"

This is a smart question because knowing this background, you can evaluate if you fit, and avoid similar pitfalls, presenting yourself in a way that aligns with the company's needs.

If the position is newly opened, you could instead ask:

"What concerns do you / your client have about filling this position?"

This question serves the same purpose but helps you understand the hiring manager's top worries and objections, which are often not explicitly stated in the job description and can be challenging to read between the lines.

"What is the most important qualification you are looking for? What are the must-haves?"

Almost all job descriptions, especially for executive positions, have an extensive list of requirements. However, in reality, only a few of these are truly important and non-negotiable. You need to differentiate between the must-haves and the nice-to-haves.

For example, if you discover that a must-have qualification is something you've never done before, such as leading a company through an IPO, or something you're unwilling to compromise on, such as relocating to another country, this is a good point to consider whether to proceed.

If you decide to continue the process, knowing the must-haves will guide you during interviews. You can tailor your personal brand, competencies, and track record accordingly to stand out.

If you're speaking with a recruiting firm and there's no immediate opening, a great question to ask is:

"Of all the assignments you handle, what's the most challenging position to fill?"

This question serves two purposes. Firstly, it helps you understand their challenges and priorities. If your profile aligns with their needs, you can strategically position yourself during your interactions to highlight your competencies or leadership qualities that address these challenges, making yourself more relevant.

Secondly, understanding their challenges gives you an opportunity to help them in the future. You can offer to leverage your network to make connections that may help them with their difficult placements.

One of my clients used this question to turn a casual introductory call with a recruiter into two formal job interviews.

If you are serious about advancing your career to the senior executive level and want to ensure that your next move is fulfilling, submit your application to the 1% Academy program.

Once your application is accepted, you will have a free strategy call with either me or one of my team members.

On the call, you can learn how to:

• Identify and understand what's not working for you
• Get personalized advice from someone who has achieved what you want to do.
• Learn what it takes to reach your career goals by the end of the year.

Book a free strategy call.

We will discuss your current career status, your goals, and evaluate if you are a good fit for the program.