The interview is nearing its end. You know this is true not by the clock but rather by the final question: “Do you have any questions for us?”
There are a number of approaches, right? You can ask a challenging question to illustrate how strategic you are… You can ask a question that came from a Google search – ‘questions to ask at a job interview’…. Or you can pass – either because time is running short or because you want the job so badly you don’t want to know anything that would dissuade you?
In my first executive director interview, I am sure I asked a few good questions, but I did not ask the most important one – “May I review the organization’s financials – not just the budget but year-to-date actuals vs budget and some historical financial information.”
I could have and I should have – and I didn’t.
Why? The answer is a little embarrassing, maybe unflattering. I suspected the financials would be a hot mess, and at some level, I just didn’t want to know how bad it was. I really wanted the job – it was starting to feel kind of vocational for me. I did not want to be dissuaded when I saw that payroll was going to be a serious stretch in the weeks and months to come.
So the whole “do you have any questions for us” thing is a bit more complex once you look below the surface. The questions you ask will tell the search committee more about you, and conversely, you as a candidate need to know what you are going to do with the answers provided.
I have coached dozens of folks through leadership interviews, and this is one of the big topics. My argument is the questions are very, very important for the candidate – you may not like what you hear, but you need to go in with your eyes wide open. This is true for a first-time executive director and someone who knows the good, the bad, and the ugly about running a nonprofit.
Time for some don’ts and some dos.
5 QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK
-
Tell me about your ideal candidate.
Can you please not ask this question? There was a job profile, and the search committee spent WAY TOO MUCH TIME crafting it. It says they want someone as close to the Messiah as they can get. You have what you need in the profile, and you won’t learn anything new. If I am on that search committee, the thought balloon above my head reads, “Did you not read the profile?” -
How would you describe the relationship between the E.D. and the Board?
I surprised you here, didn’t I? You actually really want to know the answer to this question, but the board will tell you exactly what you want to hear if you ask the question this way. -
Can you describe the culture of the organization?
You absolutely want to know this answer, but I don’t think you will hear anything instructive. -
How would you describe this board?
See below – I have an idea about how to ask this question differently. -
Can you tell me about the core programs of the organization?
NO NO NO! If you don’t go into an interview having crawled all over the website, can I suggest that you just stay home?
10 QUESTIONS WORTH ASKING
-
What was the last hard decision the organization had to make, and can you tell me about the decision-making process? (CULTURE)
You’ll learn how authority, input, and timelines actually work. -
I consider the most important relationship to be between the E.D. and the chair. I can see the thoughtfulness and integrity with which you are approaching the E.D. search. How are chairs identified? (CO-PILOT SELECTION)
The E.D.–chair relationship is pivotal. Here you’re probing for succession and readiness insights. -
Can you tell me about the annual review process you have in place for the evaluation of the executive director? (ACCOUNTABILITY)
Let’s see how responsible the board is and how seriously they will take their role as providing oversight and feedback to you. -
How will you know in six months that you have made a rockstar hire? (PRIORITIES)
This is so much more revealing than asking about the profile of the ideal candidate. It will allow you to hear specifics and to hear about priorities. -
Can you speak to a time when the E.D. and the board disagreed about something important? How was it resolved? (POWER)
Here, you are looking to understand how the board understands and uses its power. -
If I sat in on several of your board meetings, what would I learn about the board and how it operates? (OPERATIONS)
A question like this could help you understand if the E.D. drives the board, if there is active discussion or engagement, and if they are engaging or enriching. It will also help you understand how to really crush your first board meeting. -
I’ve spent time on your website and find your programs impressive – as vocal and visible champions for the organization, I wonder which program you find easiest to be a champion for, and if there is a program you struggle with in terms of messaging, fit, or impact? (VOICE)
This might not be the perfect Q once you spend time on the website, but two things are embedded in this question – first, your belief that their role is to be vocal and visible ambassadors is right on the table. And, you want to see if you get any authenticity from them – what’s easy for them and what is hard for them? -
What do you see as the organization’s superpower and the organization’s kryptonite? (INSIGHT)
I like this question because again, you are digging – are they thoughtful? Insightful? Will they be honest (or close to honest) with you? - How would you describe the relationship the organization has with its founder? (IF APPLICABLE)
-
Every time an E.D. comes into a new organization, it changes. And most E.D.s are change agents – can you talk about the organization’s appetite for change? (READINESS)
This will be relevant if the job profile talks about needing a transformer or if you are following a long-tenured leader or a founder.
Clearly, you won’t get to ask 10 questions, and some questions are better for interview 2 or 3 than interview 1. What I have tried to do is offer you examples of HOW to get to really understand the organization, and especially how the board understands its role.
It’s time to really rethink what an interview is all about. Of course, that search committee is trying to determine if you are the right person to lead their organization into the future.
But here’s the question: is your sole job to persuade them that you are?
I don’t happen to think so. I think you have another equally important job – to learn about the organization, its culture, its volunteer leadership, and how it sees its relationship with the staff leader. The organization and the clients/community it serves deserve a new leader who is a good fit and not just a leader who has pitched themselves into the gig.
A great hire is one that the search committee believes is just what the organization needs.
A great hire is also someone who has asked smart, thoughtful questions and, as a result, believes this organization is right for THEM.
The road must run both ways to ensure success!
