Smart Interviewing for Senior Roles: The 3 Areas to Probe (and Prepare)
When Farhan Thawar, VP of Engineering at Shopify, was asked about how he interviews, he offered a beautifully simple lens: People, Process, and Technology . These three areas, he said, are where great candidates truly reveal themselves. As an executive and careers coach, I find this framework a useful one, not just for those hiring, but also for those preparing to be hired at senior levels. Below, I share some of Thawar’s original interview questions and a few more that I’ve come across in my work as an Executive coach supporting clients who are facing CXO or senior level interviews. 1. Process “Describe the development process at your last company. What would you try again and why? What would you not try again and why not?” - Farhan Thawar “Describe a shitty system at your last company. What did you do about it?” - Farhan Thawar -What’s one process you reimagined that saved time, dollars or improved quality? -Have you ever encountered process resistance? How did you navigate i...