International Business Executive

1. What is your current compensation and how is it constructed?

2. How is your bonus and/or commission structured?

3. Do you feel your compensation is above or below the market?

4. What are your expectations for future compensation?

5. When did you earn your highest income?

6. What would you like to be earning in 3 years?

1. How difficult will it be for you to leave your current company?

2. Why are you leaving (or did you already leave) this position?

3. Does your employer know you are looking?

4. Where else are you interviewing?

5. Do you have other offers you are considering?

6. What are your career options right now?

7. What references could you give us?

1. How experienced are you as a developer of people?

2. Who have you developed who was later promoted?

3. What decisions and activities do you delegate?

4. How much direction and feedback do you require to be successful?

5. How do you develop the untapped potential in your employees?

6. What key skills are required to develop successful managers?

7. What process do you take to address underperforming employees?

8. At what point do you terminate an underperforming employee?

1. What do you know about our company's products and industry?

2. What interests you about the possible position?

3. Do you think you have suitable experience for the role?

4. What do you view as your disadvantages with the position we are interviewing you for?

5. Are you over- or under-qualified for this position?

6. What do you think about working at our company?

7. What have you heard that is negative about our company?

8. What changes would you make if you came on board?

1. How would your staff rate your communication skills?

2. Can you give me a brief sales pitch for your main product or service?

3. Explain the internal structure of your company and where you are in it?

4. Why does someone buy your product instead of someone else's?

5. Do you participate in creating proposals or other written materials of your company?

6. Are you confident speaking in front of a group?

7. Do you write your own presentations, speeches and articles?

8. When could it be necessary to withhold information from staff members who report to you?

1. Please explain the reasons behind your various job changes.

2. Do you think you have too many job changes or too few?

3. Were any of your job changes the result of general lay-offs? If so, explain how events unfolded?

4. Have you ever been terminated or been passed over for promotion?

1. How does your sales team rank in the industry?

2. What are the main sales objections you and your sales people face?

3. What closing style do you emphasize for your sales people?

4. How did your group achieve quota during the past year?

5. When you were unable to meet quota in the past, what did you do?

6. How much does sales production vary among your sales people?

7. How long is your sales cycle?

8. How many prospects do your sales people see before a sale is made?

At high levels, issues that relate to personality and temperament become more important than they might otherwise. The recruiter wants to know if you will fit in with the client company. The recruiter may also be fishing for signs of conflict that indicate a potential personality problem.

Be honest and straightforward, but do not dwell on any conflict that may have occurred. Highlight positive developments that resulted from your departure, whether it was that you accepted a more challenging position or learned an important lesson that helped you to be happier in your next job.

Too many founders make hiring about themselves and their companies. Your job, as a founder, is to provide a fertile ground for your team to grow and evolve as people and professionals. If a candidate's idea of personal success isn't in alignment with the trajectory of your company, it's not a good fit. By all means, make them love your company and mission, but make the job about them, not you.

Anyone who has made it to an interview with our company will have been recommended by someone who knows Modify well. We do not hire from cold calls -- interviewees are strong candidates. At that stage, we want to make sure they are humble, yet confident. Ideally, they share grand visions for our brand and are hesitant only because they have big goals.

It is to your advantage if the employer tells you the range first. Prepare by knowing the going rate in your area, and your bottom line or walk-away point. One possible answer would be: "I am sure when the time comes, we can agree on a reasonable amount. In what range do you typically pay someone with my background?"

Here's your chance to show where your presentation skills lie. If you love speaking before groups, great-tell about some winning presentations you've done. If you're not really comfortable in front of large groups (not all of us are), refer to a time when you delivered a message to either a small group or to an individual, and don't forget to emphasize the positive result of your presentation.

Be honest. The interviewer wants to know if you'll be happy. Are you willing to make some sacrifices to get your career on the right track? Your degree of motivation is an important selection factor.

Most of us hate to admit that we have problems, but the truth is that we do. It's how we handle problems that shows our real talent. So dig deep and come up with a time when you either took on a problem and solved it, or you were in the middle of a project and a problem came up unexpectedly.

Employers love to hear how you affected the bottom line, since it implies that you'll be able to do the same for them. Tell a story that demonstrates that you understand how success is measured in your line of work, and that you're able to achieve it to the satisfaction of your employer.

The wrong answer to this hot-button question is, "I've been very fortunate and have never worked for someone I didn't get along with."

Everyone has had situations where he or she disagreed with a boss, and saying that you haven't forces the recruiter to question your integrity. Also, it can send out a signal that the candidate is not seasoned enough or hasn't been in situations that require him or her to develop a tough skin or deal with confrontation.

It's natural for people to have differing opinions. When this has occurred in the past, you could explain that you presented your reasons and openly listened to other opinions as well.

In addition to being effective manager of employees, an executive candidate should also be good at facilitating great relationships with clients. When there is a difficult client situation, and there will be often, they must be able to demonstrate the ability to smooth things over and create positive experiences for repeat customers.