This is the third of three posts from BoardwalkConsulting.com and I think this is the most interesting; especially the first two. I would have concerns about any candidate who did not ask these questions in some form.

The details and rationale can be found here.

1. What do you like best about the incumbent?

I love this question. It lets you know what the committee members value. It lets you know who supported the incumbent. Depending on the circumstances, they could be your biggest supporters or your biggest problems.

2. What unfinished business would I inherit?

This gives you a leg up on where you should focus at the start.  This is also a nice way of asking what they did not like about the incumbent. Again, who answers is important.

3. How will we define success?

This should flow from the first two questions. You want the answer to be as specific as possible. The ideal answer is quantifiable. Of course, it should be within your control.

Watch out for “Don’t rock the boat” answers, unless you just want to a caretaker position.

The answers should cover long-term outcomes (effectiveness) and near-term performance (efficiency).

4. Where are the potholes?

This lets you evaluate the risks. Again, this flows from the answers to the first three questions.

I like the question, “What about this keeps you awake at night?” It will take them a while to answer, but you will learn their most important requirement or need.

5. How can I add the most value?

This helps set you up as the exceptional candidate.

If you have gotten as far as a face-to-face interview, you should have asked the first four questions in prior discussions. You should have a pro forma plan ready for the first 30 days, the first 90 days, and the first year. Tell them what you plan to do.

Here is the promised rant:

Many old-time HR guys, used to hiring for assembly lines and cube jobs, will state that “any applicant that asks what the compensation will be is automatically rejected.”

I take the opposite tack. Any applicant that gets to the end of this interview and does not know the compensation is either too naive or lacks a goal-orientation to qualify for a senior position. The candidate you want is probably the high-performing passive candidate. If he or she has put in effort to get this far without doing a Real-Win-Worth analysis, they drop to the bottom of my list.

And shame on you if you haven’t followed the advice in my earlier post.