In our extensive experience recruiting transformational leaders for nonprofits and associations with budgets large and small, one truth stands out: the candidate who understands the context of the job is more likely to get hired and is better positioned to succeed long-term.
Conventional interview advice for CEO-level candidates typically focuses on presenting impressive accomplishments and exuding confidence. But that can only take you so far. You also need to identify and articulate the organization’s unique challenges and how your skills can help them meet strategic goals. And all the while, you need to assess whether the board is likely to embrace your leadership approach and give you both the autonomy and backing to excel in the role.
This article will highlight what most advice overlooks. Here’s what you need to know to rise above the rest.
Behind the Scenes of a CEO Executive Search
Before we dive into preparing for your interview as a CEO candidate, let’s start by pulling back the curtain on some lesser-known aspects of working with executive search consultants and search committees. Understanding these dynamics can help set your expectations and reduce frustration or misunderstandings throughout the process.
Getting the Most From Your Search Consultant
Your search consultant can be a valuable ally, but not all consultants operate the same way. Here are a few topics candidates frequently ask about:
- Transparency about the process and timeline. Typical CEO searches take 4-6 months, but that can vary depending on the availability of stakeholders. Some firms provide detailed timelines, while others take a less predictable, step-by-step approach. Because Staffing Advisors follows a methodical process for all CEO-level searches, we provide reliable timelines and information about who will be involved from the start.
→ Practical takeaway: If the consultant doesn’t provide a clear timeline, ask directly: “What’s the timeline for this search, and who will be involved at each stage?” This will help you manage your preparation. - Where you stand compared to other candidates. CEO or executive director roles are intensely competitive. For a typical search, we’ll review several hundred resumes before selecting 25-50 candidates to interview. Although we collaborate with the search committee to define the vetting criteria, the committee’s deliberations can steer the search in surprising ways. That means even if you are highly qualified, it is impossible to predict all the factors that will ultimately influence the final decision.
→ Practical takeaway: Run your own race—assume the competition is just as qualified as you and focus on how to set yourself apart. - The real essence of the role. At Staffing Advisors, we invest considerable time interviewing stakeholders to uncover the challenges inherent in the work and the larger business problem the organization needs to solve. We work closely with the search committee to develop competency-based vetting criteria and embed that into the job description and preliminary supplemental questions we ask each candidate. And with authorization from the committee, we share as much additional information as possible with candidates so they truly understand the role. However, other firms may vary in the depth of information they gather and are authorized to share.
→ Practical takeaway: If the search consultant is vague about the realities of the position and fails to communicate tangible goals, push for deeper insights by asking, “Can you share any strategic documents or information beyond what’s publicly available?”
The Unique Dynamics of a Search Committee
Search committees are completely different from a typical hiring team, so you must adjust your expectations. If this is your first time pursuing a CEO-level role, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Search committee members have most likely never hired together before. Most committees are comprised of 4-8 people who are unlikely to have ever made a hiring decision as a group. Each member brings different views on the hiring process based on their own experience and the norms in their organizations. Factor in individual priorities and agendas, and you get a complex, sometimes fragmented dynamic.
→ Practical takeaway: Go into your interview prepared to navigate multiple perspectives, giving equal weight and respect to everyone. Ask questions to clarify priorities and goals. Demonstrate that you can effectively manage unfamiliar group dynamics and be inclusive of differing points of view. - Committee members may not remember key details about you. There is often a long gap between when the committee selects candidates and when you interview. This group is interacting with numerous candidates while also managing their own high-profile day jobs—they volunteer their time for this work. That means some members may not have the time to review your resume thoroughly before you meet. And if this is a follow-up discussion, they may not remember exactly what you discussed previously.
→ Practical Takeaway: Always provide adequate context for your responses. And help the committee connect the dots with callback references like, “As we touched on in our last conversation about [topic]…”
Interviewing With a Search Committee: Dos and Don’ts
If you take away just one thing from this article, let it be this: skills and experience alone aren’t enough to land the job. You must also demonstrate how your skills and experience will benefit this specific organization. What you can do and how you show it are equally important.
Lock this in before you interview. If you’re not crystal clear on your competitive advantage and how to communicate it, stop reading this and go check out our step-by-step Guide to Senior Executive Job Search. We developed the guide based on advice Staffing Advisors President Bob Corlett offers to CEO candidates. (It just happens to be fantastic advice for senior staff roles, too).
When it comes time to interview with the search committee, here are a few things we see too often and a few we don’t see often enough.
| → Do | × Don’t |
|---|---|
| → Answer the deeper question. Give answers that are better than the questions they ask. Read between the lines and ask yourself, “If they asked this question, what else might be true?” Then steer the discussion to the deeper issue. | × Don’t pivot every question to your strengths. Instead of using their questions as a springboard to share your achievements, focus on understanding their needs. This shows you’re interested in solving their problems, not just showcasing your skills. If you present your thinking and leadership style well, the committee will draw their own conclusions about your strengths. |
| → Look for patterns to identify key issues. If the committee asks multiple questions on a topic, it signals an underlying issue. Try to uncover it, “It sounds like you have some concerns around revenue generation—are you having issues with your business model? When did it work for you? How did you decide that it’s time to change?” Reference any relevant industry or sector trends. Ask around the room to see if committee members have different perspectives. You’ll take the conversation deeper, observe how the committee members align (or don’t), and get a sense of whether they are excited about new approaches or are looking for steady stewardship of the current state. | × Don’t ask generic questions that can be easily answered online. When the committee asks for your questions, start with the most strategic and ask to understand (not to pivot back to yourself). It’s a given that you’ve done research on the organization and what’s trending in their industry—every candidate is doing the same. Apply your own thinking to that research to develop questions that will make the search committee think about the work in new ways. Engineer an “aha” moment for them. They will remember it. |
| → Adhere to their structure. Stick to their process. Respect everyone’s time, including the candidates that come before and after you. Everyone involved in this process is busy and trying to make a high-stakes decision within a very limited timeframe. Push boundaries with the quality of your thinking, not by upending their process. | × Don’t rely on gimmicks to stand out. The search committee is looking for a highly competent leader to bring this organization into the next era—they don’t need a show. If your thinking about the work is solid and you can present it in a way that demonstrates your understanding of key issues and the competitive landscape, that’s all you need to impress. |
Go Above and Beyond in the Work Sample
Most CEO job interviews include a work sample at some point. Embrace the opportunity to show your approach to solving real challenges. The work sample separates the good from the great—it’s where the most capable candidates rise to the top.
Ideally, the committee will present a real business problem along with some background materials, so you’ll have something tangible to work with. In that case, dig in and really show your strategic perspective. (If you’re curious about the guidance we offer clients in developing effective work sample tests, check out this guide. We have included a few examples for CEO searches that may get your wheels turning.)
In a less-than-ideal situation, you may see a more generic work sample test like a 30-60-90-day plan. Turn that around. Upload the assignment to a generative AI model like ChatGPT or Gemini so you can see what a typical generalized response might look like. Analyze that output and use your knowledge and experience to create something truly insightful. The AI will show you what anyone with a computer could offer the search committee—you want to show the committee the strategic lens that only you can offer.
→ Practical Takeaway: Treat the work sample as a test run in the role. How you perform is the best predictor of whether you can drive impact. You’ll also get a feel for what it’s like to work with this board, if they are receptive to your point of view, presentation style, and leadership approach and if they’re likely to give you some running room when it’s time to put strategic ideas into action.
It’s Not Just About Getting Hired
The best CEO candidates aren’t just those with perfect resumes or the best presentation skills—they ask the right questions, identify what’s beneath the surface, and truly understand if the board’s vision, constraints, and readiness for change align with their own leadership approach.
Before you interview with a search committee, take a moment to ask yourself: “Am I here to get the job or to find the right organization where my leadership will make the most impact?” Make sure that every response you give, every question you ask, and every idea you propose gives them concrete evidence that you can drive the change they are looking for.
Learn More About the CEO Executive Search Process
- Curious about what else goes on behind the scenes during a CEO search? Explore our comprehensive Guide for Search Committees. If you’re preparing for a CEO role, the insider perspective could be invaluable.
- And if you find yourself on the other side of the hiring table as a search committee member, our CEO Search Committee Chair’s Checklist will help you maximize the committee’s time and effectiveness.