Putting candidates for executive positions on the spot

Putting candidates for executive positions on the spot

You have a shortlist of candidates for a top executive position. All are suitable, have interviewed well and have excellent credentials. How do you decide between them?

An excellent way is to put them through a live simulated TV interview, complete with lights, camera and searching (even aggressive) questions from a tough journalist. The candidate’s job is to represent the organisation they’re applying to work for as well as possible, to think under pressure and to convince a sceptical audience through the power of their arguments – i.e. the very things that executives have to do day in, day out.

Two of RTC’s clients have recently asked us to conduct such interviews during the recruitment process for senior executives. Working with these clients, we’ve agreed the scenario (given to the candidates about ten minutes before they go on air) and then conducted the interviews. In one case, during the recruitment of a senior government representative, we also sat on the adjudication panel.

Our clients have told us how useful the exercise is in helping to find the right person for the most important executive posts.

Article date

August 1st, 2014

Robert Taylor

Media Trainer

@RT_MediaTrainer

My main passion is media training, and I’m proud to be one of the UK’s most experienced and successful trainers in this field.

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