With more than 40 years of experience in executive search, our consultants have had the privilege of speaking with tens of thousands of professionals across the industries we serve. Every conversation teaches us something new – about people, the market, and what truly drives a successful career move. Our executive recruiters know the best ways to understand a candidate, build lasting relationships, and help connect the right person with the right opportunity at the right time.
So what should a candidate expect when they first speak with a recruiter? We asked our consultants which questions matter most – and why those questions help us serve candidates better. Here’s what they shared:
1. “Why are we speaking?”
Recruiters can provide a wide variety of benefits at every stage of a candidate’s career, from job search assistance to networking opportunities to market insights. So, the first step is for our recruiters to learn what kind of service a candidate is looking for. During this stage of the conversation, our consultants also often ask things like “How would you like our relationship to progress?” and “What do you know (or want to know) about Kimmel and myself?”
First and foremost, our job is relationship-building. Recruiting isn’t about making a single job placement, it’s about getting to know people in the industry, being transparent with them, and building long-term partnerships. Those goals are made possible when we’re transparent about our goals and resources, and candidates are transparent about what they’re looking for and why they’re connecting with us at this specific time.
2. “What is your motivation for considering a job change?”
If a candidate is connecting because they’re open to new opportunities, motivation is the most important thing for our consultants to know. Understanding motivation requires in-depth insights into a candidate’s current employment situation. We usually start by asking about the most common reasons candidates want to change jobs: “What do you want that your current company doesn’t offer? Do you feel like you have autonomy there? What’s the culture of decision-making?”
We also need to consider whether someone’s truly committed to a career change or if they’re simply chasing a higher paycheck: “Would you consider a counteroffer?” Finally, to build our industry knowledge and understanding of candidate motivations, we sometimes even ask candidates who AREN’T on a job search for their input: “If you’re NOT currently looking or open, what WOULD motivate you to make a move?”
3. What is it you really want to do?
When connecting candidates with career opportunities, our goal isn’t just to fill a role – it’s to help them land their dream job, or as close to it as possible. To do that, we need to know what that dream scenario would look like. Many candidates can’t describe their best-case scenario offhand, so we start with big-picture questions: “Where would you like to see yourself in the next 5-10 years? What role would you eventually like to grow into? What does success look like to you?”
Then, we assess how flexible the candidate might be in reaching those goals: “Are you flexible when it comes to titles and geographical locations? Will you travel and/or relocate?” Through this line of questioning, we can gain a clear understanding of a candidate’s short- and long-term career and personal goals, so that we know how we can help them best, now or in the future.
4. What does your dream company look like?
Asking about a dream company might sound the same as asking about a dream role – but there are some big differences. An employee’s experience at work goes well beyond their individual goals and performance – we want to know how a candidate sees their ideal company at an operational and cultural level. Essentially, “What are the big-picture red and green flags within a work environment?”
To find out, we ask things like, “What are your preferences for a company culture or the kinds of projects you’re working on? Which company in your past fits your style and the culture you like best?”
We also want to know candidates on a personal level so we can match them with perfect-fit companies and industry leaders that share their values: “What are you passionate about?” Finally, we need to cover possible red flags or deal breakers: We might describe a job opportunity that meets their major “dream” requirements determined by the previous question, and then ask, “What would make you say ‘no’ to a role like that?”
5. Tell me about your family situation: Married? Single? Kids?
A key part of building long-term relationships with candidates is getting to know the most important people in their lives, and the roles those people play in their career management choices. If our decades of recruiting experience have taught us anything, it’s this: Nothing is more important to a candidate’s success in a career change than the support of their family. This is especially true when relocation is involved.
On the flip side, there’s no bigger barrier to success in a new role or a new location than a lack of enthusiasm on the home front. So, our consultants always ask about a candidate’s home life, and whether the people in their lives are on board with a career change or relocation. Even someone who is single and lives alone may be tied to a specific location or have travel restrictions because their parents or siblings live nearby. And if not – if they’re wide open to travel and relocation – that’s just as important for us to know!
6. Where do you need to be financially?
While it’s important for a candidate to be motivated by more than money in order to ensure a successful long-term hire, there’s no way around it: money matters. We need a solid understanding of a candidate’s financial goals and expectations before we can match them with appropriate job opportunities.
For us, this doesn’t just mean asking, “What are you earning now?” We look at short- and long-term needs and plans. We ask, “Do you prefer growth or immediate reward?” We consider financial benefits that aren’t limited to base salary, such as equity and guaranteed bonuses. We can also gauge whether someone is especially vulnerable to counteroffers by verifying whether they’ve done what they can to address any financial concerns in their current roles: “Have you asked for or gotten a raise recently?”
7. Who are you already in front of?
This question includes both other recruiting firms and jobs a candidate has applied for directly. It’s easiest and most effective for everyone when a candidate works with a single recruiting partner who truly understands their career aspirations and motivations, rather than dealing with several recruiters at once. However, if a candidate is working with multiple recruiters or applying to jobs on their own, it’s important for us to know that so we know which companies are off limits and where we can appropriately market them.
8. What got you into the industry?
Learning about a candidate’s technical and professional background gives us an idea of relevant skills, experiences, and qualifications that we can use to be their advocate in the marketplace. This might cover big-picture career narratives (“How did you get into the building envelope subtrade?”) or more specific details: “Do you have experience in commercial or residential construction? Mitigation vs. recon? What sizes of projects have you worked on? What titles have you held?” Knowing what companies a candidate has worked for – and where they’ve been most successful – helps us understand which of our marketplace connections might be the best fit for them culturally and technically.
9. What do people (peers, subordinates, bosses, suppliers, etc.) say about you?
Asking a candidate to tell us about their professional reputation tells us a few important things: Do they have strong professional relationships? Can they recognize and describe their professional strengths and weaknesses? We may even specifically ask for examples of professional mistakes and learning opportunities. These aren’t “gotcha” conversations designed to make a candidate feel bad. Rather, the ability and willingness to reflect on and freely discuss both skills and shortcomings, wins and losses, are signs of a healthy growth mindset and honest communication, essential traits for success in a new role.
10. Do you happen to know anyone that would be interested in opportunity XYZ?
As we said before, recruiting is all about building relationships. So a conversation with a recruiter is never wasted, whether a candidate is on the job search or not. Even if that candidate isn’t interested in a specific role or isn’t able to make a move right now, they may have people in their network who are looking for new opportunities and who might be a perfect fit for a role we’re working to fill.
Recruiting is never about one transaction, one opportunity, or one contract. It’s about building meaningful relationships, developing professional networks, providing market insights, and serving our client and candidate base in every way we can. These ten questions lay the foundation for partnerships that grow over months, years – even decades, allowing us to help people manage and maximize their careers to make their professional dreams come true.
