A few years ago, I walked into a hiring meeting with a fast-growing food brand that was on the hunt for their next CEO. The vibe was upbeat but anxious. Five highly qualified candidates were on the table—each of them incredibly capable and impressive, each one a potential game-changer.
But the team was stuck.
Everyone was asking the same thing: "How do we choose when they all look great on paper?"
That’s when I pulled out a set of interview questions—customized for each candidate, built from what I had uncovered in my earlier conversations with them.
No generic prompts. No "Tell me about a time" snoozers. These questions were crafted to draw out each person's unique story, leadership instincts, and decision-making style.
The team met each candidate and asked the questions I had suggested. After that first round, the answer was clear. They didn’t just like and prefer one candidate—they believed they understood him.
They saw how he thought, how he led, and how he’d steer their company through its next chapter. He got the job. He delivered. And eventually, he went on to become a CEO at another high-growth firm.
That moment has stayed with me because it reinforced something I see again and again: great hiring isn’t just about resumes or references. It’s about asking the right questions.
Why traditional interview questions fall short
Most executive interviews rely on the usual approach: "Tell me about yourself." "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" “Why did you move from that place to the next one?” You know the ones. They might scratch the surface, but they rarely reveal the stuff that truly matters—like how a leader handles pushback, how they remain calm and collaborate under pressure, or how their instincts shape critical decisions.
Research from the Harvard Business Review backs this up: structured, behavioral-style interviews are far better predictors of job success than traditional ones, yet few companies tailor their interviews to the actual person sitting in front of them.
That’s where we come in.
Interviewing for nuance, not just qualifications
Every candidate we put forward can technically do the job. But the real question is: who brings the specific mix of hard skills, soft skills, and instincts that this company needs right now?
To help my clients answer that, I don’t just send over a resume and a list of talking points. I give them interview questions that help surface what really matters.
Some real examples:
For someone with a strong strategic track record:
“Ask them about a time they grew a business and encountered obstacles. What were the obstacles? How did they navigate them?”
“Who helped them with the challenge and how did the candidate leverage them?”For someone with standout emotional intelligence:
“Ask who their favorite boss was and how they complemented each other. Then ask who they struggled with—and why.”For someone with creative marketing chops:
“Have them walk you through a brand innovation they led. What steps did they take? What risks did they choose to take? What were they solving for?”
“How do they partner with the analytical leader vs the creative one?”
We tailor every single question based on what I’ve learned about the candidate. It’s almost like the client gets to pick up the conversation where we left off.
Better questions, better outcomes
Why does this matter so much? Because your next executive hire won’t just lead a function. They’ll set the tone, shape the culture, and drive big results. And they may very well rise into another role while they’re there.
When you ask deeper, more personalized questions, you get a clearer picture of what a candidate is actually like to work with and what motivates them. You don’t just hire the most experienced person. You hire the right person.
And that matters. A lot.
According to the Corporate Executive Board, hiring the right fit can boost performance by up to 25% and reduce turnover risk by more than 20%.
I see this all the time in my own work. My placements often stay with their new employer 10 to 15 years. They hit the ground running, exceed expectations, and help build teams around them. One client told me, "You don’t just find us the right people. You help us understand how to hire them."
How our approach sets TKJ apart
At TKJ Executive Search, we don’t just fill seats. We find transformative leaders fast. Our process is quicker than most traditional search firms, and it’s deeply personalized.
Here’s what that looks like:
We provide candidate profiles within the first 10 days of a search. And we discuss the client’s view and bias for each so we can quickly drill down on the most likely fit. You’ll get insight into their motivations, values, and working style.
We give you customized interview questions so you can dig into the things that really matter.
We provide complimentary 90 day onboarding support to set your new hire up for early wins.
Because I’m also a leadership coach, I bring a different lens. I don’t just assess candidates. I help you engage them in a way that shows you who they really are.
What I've learned from all of this
When I look back at the hundreds of interviews I’ve conducted, the patterns are clear. It's not the most polished answers that signal a great hire—it’s the ones that show self-awareness, humility and authenticity, adaptability, and alignment with the company’s culture and mission.
And those qualities don’t show up unless you ask the right questions. When hiring teams dig deeper and tailor their conversations, they don’t just fill roles—they find leaders who stay, grow, and transform the business.
That’s what I love most about this work. It’s not just about placements—it’s about creating moments of clarity, alignment, and possibility. And that always starts with a better conversation.
