Position Name: Vice President of Finance/Controller
Interviewer
Candidate Name
Interview Date
Introductory Questions
– Interviewer(s) share name, role, tenure, and hand business cards for thank you messages – Share a brief overview of the company
– Give Candidate the Job Description, highlight Job Purpose, Schedule/Travel, Major Challenges & Key Decisions, and Physical Requirements
Tell us about yourself.
Transitional & Verification Questions
– Clarify any unclear information from resume or application
– Verify availability for work hours and schedule, start date, and other important details
What accomplishment on your resume are you most proud of?
Technical Questions
– Ask job related questions, based on skills and competencies needed for the role
– Ask open ended questions that allow candidates to tell a story about a specific example
– Ask 5-10 questions based on the role and how much time you have (~3-4 minutes per question)
– Listen for recent examples, details, consistency, the candidate’s role in the story, and teamwork
– Take notes and ask clarifying questions as follow-ups
What specific areas (related to the position) do you consider yourself the most knowledgeable? What areas have you had less experience or do not feel as comfortable with?
Behavioral / Situational Questions
– Ask job related questions, based on skills and competencies needed for the role
– Ask open ended questions that allow candidates to tell a story about a specific example
– Ask 5-10 questions based on the role and how much time you have (~3-4 minutes per question)
– Listen for recent examples, details, consistency, the candidate’s role in the story, and teamwork
– Take notes and ask clarifying questions as follow-ups. Follow up questions may include:
- Tell us more about the action you took and the outcome.
- What did you say at that point?
- How did you react to that situation?
- Explain your role in more detail.
- Tell me in detail what steps you took.
- And what was the result?
- Describe the obstacles you faced in getting it done.
- What other options did you consider?
- Why do you think you reacted as you did?
- How do you think others felt about your actions at the time?
- Were you satisfied with the outcome of your actions?
- If the same or a similar situation presented itself, what would you do differently?
Analytical/Detail Orientation
We all have had times when we’ve found an error in our work only after it became a problem. When have you found yourself in this situation? How did you resolve the situation? What steps did you take to prevent errors from reoccurring?
Situation:
Action:
Result:
Business Acumen
Describe a situation where you successfully articulated the value proposition of a specific aspect of the business (or a product, idea, etc.)
Situation:
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Describe your experience with both short and long range financial planning.
Situation:
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How do you ensure that your work and goals are aligned with corporate or strategic goals? Tell me about a time when you had to pay particular attention to this.
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Coaching & Mentoring
What advice would you give to a college student who is interested in your industry or field?
Situation:
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Tell me about a recent time you had to coach an employee to perform a task.
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Decision Making
It can be difficult to use good judgment when everyone else seems to disagree with your approach. Give me an example of a time when you had to go against the wishes of a group to get something accomplished. What did you do? How did you explain your reasoning? What was the result?
Situation:
Action:
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Emotional Intelligence
What do you do when you think someone is not listening to you? Give me an example of a time when that happened.
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What has been the most difficult criticism for you to receive?
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Strategic Thinking
How have you influenced the need for change among the organization’s business systems?
Situation:
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Tell me about a decision you made that negatively affected another person or department. What did you do?
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Leadership
How are you more self-aware now than earlier in your career? Are there certain tools you use to help in your leadership self-awareness?
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Tell me about a time when you had to inspire or energize an unmotivated individual or group. How did you do it and what was the result?
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What makes you an effective leader? Why do you think people want to work for you?
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Candidate’s Questions
– Be sure to leave time for their questions, generally 1-3
– Paint a positive but honest view of the pros and cons of the work and culture
Notes
Closing Questions
– Describe where you are in the process, next steps, and when they can expect to hear back
– Ask if they have any final remarks
What do you hope to find in our organization that you don’t have now?
Interviewer Assessment
Enter your overall assessment about the candidate’s knowledge, skills, abilities, and fit for this position.
Would you recommend this candidate advance in the process?