Savvy employers are sizing you up from the moment they lay eyes on you. They instinctively know that what they DON'T know about you will be more persuasive in the final analysis.
So they will be carefully checking you out. They may not ask direct questions about your maturity, but you can be sure they will be observing how you handle yourself to see if you qualify.
Here are 5 questions our experience tells us you should be prepared to demonstrate as part of your executive job search strategy:
1. What kind of judgment have you shown in your business affairs?
2. How have you revealed your concern for the well-being of other people?
3. Are you living within your means and handling personal financial decisions with maturity?
4. Have you pursued your career in an adult manner and with consideration for your employers?
5. Are you goal-oriented with a history of completing anything you've undertaken?
Typically, executives make the mistake of focusing on their work history. Traditionally they feel that they will be judged on the basis of what they used to do for someone else. Nothing could be further from the truth.
A savvy hiring decision-maker is interested in finding the answer to TWO questions only . . . what can you do for my bottom line? . . and what can you do to make my job easier?
If you fail to answer those two questions effectively, you're out!
Behind those two critical questions are the unspoken concerns about your maturity. No one will drill you on these issues. So it's up to you to weave them into your presentation so that they are resolved in the mind of the person who could be your next boss.
