Let’s be honest, interviewing for an executive position isn’t easy. If it were a stew, it would be made of some fiery ingredients: stress, high stakes, personal vulnerability, long preparation hours, and a healthy dose of uncertainty.
That’s a recipe that would leave anyone looking for a cold glass of water!
But if you want a seat at the C-suite table, that top 3% of any organization, you have to learn how to turn those intense ingredients into something that tastes exceptional to your interviewers. The best leaders don’t just survive pressure; they transform it into presence, confidence, and clarity, a transformation that starts with your story.
At $200K and above, you’re in the top 3% of the org chart, meaning the standard job-search playbook ‒ job boards, endless applications, chasing recruiters ‒ simply will not work for you the way it does for the other 97%.
Here are some important ingredients for success in an executive-level job interview:
Start Strong: “Tell Me About Yourself”
Interviews usually start with a basic question and a missed opportunity for most candidates.
ExecuNet’s Director of Coaching Services, Harriette Lowenthal, says that “Tell me about yourself” isn’t just small talk. It’s an open door. It’s your first chance to take control of the conversation and share your Value Story.
Harriette suggests approaching this question with a response starting something like: “As I answer that question it would be helpful for you if I tell you a bit about how I’m wired and how the lessons I’ve learned throughout my life have prepared me for this opportunity.”
From there, bring your story to life. Share the pivotal lessons and defining moments that have shaped who you are and why you lead. Reveal the values that give your work meaning and the purpose that fuels you.
When you connect your personal “why” to your professional “what,” you create a story that’s unforgettable.
Know Your Unique Value Story
As an executive, at any career stage, your most powerful asset isn’t your title or list of accomplishments. It’s your Value Story. It’s what transforms a résumé into a reason to hire.
The Value Story is the throughline of your career. It’s what turns your accomplishments into something human, memorable, and magnetic. Think of it as the red thread that runs from stop to stop through your entire career ‒ the consistent way you create impact wherever you go. Your unique way of driving success is the heart of your Value Story and it’s what employers are truly hiring.
Identify the Problems You Solve
Executive interviews aren’t about reciting your career history. They’re about connecting the dots between your journey and the organization’s needs.
Show how your experiences, both wins and the lessons learned the hard way, have prepared you to tackle their most pressing challenges. When you clearly communicate not just what you’ve done but what you’ll make happen for them, you stop being “another candidate.” You become the candidate who makes them think, “Here’s the person who can help us with [insert issue]!”
Of course, getting there takes effort. You need to invest time in identifying your Value Story and developing specific examples that demonstrate how you’re the aspirin for their headache. And you must deeply research their pain points so you can connect your story to their needs with precision.
It’s not easy ‒ but who said sitting atop an org chart was easy?
Final Thought: Lead with the Lessons That Made You
The best leaders are forged in the fires of both triumph and trial. Don’t hide your scars ‒ instead, show the wisdom they taught you.
When you can tell your story with clarity, authenticity, and purpose, you’ll transform “Tell me about yourself” from a routine opener into a powerful statement of why you do what you do.
At the executive level, interviews aren’t about proving your worth…they’re about communicating your value.
Lead with your story and watch how it opens doors to opportunities that fit you perfectly.
