HOW TO NAIL YOUR C-SUITE INTERVIEW WITHIN PRIVATE EQUITY

The team at Raw Selection interviews and assesses a great deal of talented C-Suite executives every day.

It surprises us how many miss the fundamentals of an interview and just take it as another conversation.

The very best executives prepare. Make sure to read our preparation advice below to ensure a smooth interview.

1. Preparation

Research is essential preparation for an interview. Top performers always do their research, and so your goal here is to be fully prepared for any questions you may get asked, but also to find synergies between yourself and the interviewer.

Review the private equity firm’s website:

• What is their investment strategy?
• What other companies have they invested in?
• What are their values?

Review the interviewer’s background:

• What is their background and what have they done in their career?
• Do you have any shared connections on LinkedIn?
• What do they typically post about on LinkedIn, anything to prepare you for your interview?

Review the portfolio companies’ website:

• What is their product and target market?
• What would you upgrade on the site?
• From your knowledge, what challenges do you think they will be facing?

2.?The interview

In order to obtain success in your interview, you will need to:

• Demonstrate your experience with real life examples, keeping them short and to the point
• Listen to the questions and answer them, do not go off on a tangent
• Show an interest in the interviewer’s perspective on the company and their personal background
• Energy and drive in an interview are essential
• We are measured on the questions we ask, more than the answers we give
• Prepare intelligent questions, do not start with what is the pay or what are the holidays, pension etc…

Here are some example questions you could ask:

• What would success look like if in 2 years all the company’s objectives were hit?
• What type of leadership do you feel the business needs to hit its objectives?
• What are the top 3 challenges the business faces now?
• Out of 10 how would you rate the strength of the management team, what would need to change for it to be a 10/10?
• Each business has different value creation areas, what are the areas to focus on for this business that will create the highest exit multiple?
• Ask any relevant questions about the business and its current state of play, so you know what you are walking into

3.?Post the interview

• Email the interviewer/s to thank them for their time, state your appeal to the position and company, and that you are interested in learning more about the next steps

About Raw Selection:?Raw Selection specialises in executive search, working exclusively with lower and middle-market Private Equity firms and their Portfolio Companies across Europe and North America.

If your Private Equity firm is looking to hire, or if you are looking for a new role within the PE sector, please get in contact with Alex, at [email protected]

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