Executive-Level, Public Sector Interviews: 5 Things to be Successful

Congratulations! If Promeus has contacted you, you’re being considered for a senior-level, public sector role. At this level, a panel interview will be one of the final stages of the process. Here’s what you need to do to be successful.

The first point of feedback from hiring committees: candidates aren’t succinct.

What does this mean? It means that you aren’t clear and concise when answering the interview question. We all have a natural tendency to believe that ‘more is more’, or a fear that if we’re too concise, we’ll fail to provide the committee with all the relevant information they need.
Remember: committees can always ask probing questions. So, focus on providing a parsimonious answer, knowing they’ll probe if they want to hear more. A best practice is to focus on answering the question strategically and not including unnecessary or irrelevant information.

The second point of feedback from hiring committees: candidates aren’t sharing - in a compelling fashion -why they’re interested in the role and organization.

Even if you’re a passive candidate (meaning that you were approached by a search firm and didn’t actively apply), you need to be able to articulate why you’re interested in being considered. Before the panel interview, brainstorm on a piece of paper all the reasons why you’re interested in the role. You should also draw on your research about the organization to easily link your motivation to their values, strategic goals, and objectives.

Presently, most interviews are taking place via web conference platforms (like Zoom, WebEX, or MS Teams). Therefore, it’s important to be comfortable with using these platforms, and to ensure your systems are well functioning in advance of the interview.

Before the interview, it’s always good practice to test out your technology (including your speakers and microphone). If you do run into technology issues, always have the phone number of your key contact handy.

If you should run into technical issues, take a deep breath. Don’t let it fluster you or affect your confidence.

When preparing for an in-person interview, most candidates ensure they’re wearing professional attire and are well-groomed. For virtual interviews, it’s also imperative that you have good lighting and a non-distracting background.

It’s not always easy to find a spot in the home – away from distractions – that looks professional. A virtual background is fine. However, keep in mind that a virtual background can be glitchy without a green screen. If you’re the type of person who uses a lot of hand gestures, avoid using a virtual background. Otherwise, your hands will disappear into the background, which will be distracting.

Before an interview, it’s always a good idea to practice answering behavioural interview questions. Ideally, you’ll have examples and stories readily accessible for a range of potential questions related to the role’s responsibilities and core competencies. You can practice by yourself (recording your answers and reviewing later), with a friend, or with a professional coach. A coach will have the ability to help you strategically craft your answers and ensure they are compelling yet concise.

Heather Spiegel is a Career Coach and the Founder of Hidden Squirrel Consulting. She has over a decade of executive-recruitment experience and spent many years sourcing senior, public-sector candidates for Promeus. Her coaching clients have successfully landed Director and C-suite roles in Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom.