Hiring an Interim Executive: What to Look For and How to Ensure a Successful Placement

As businesses face unexpected departures, sudden growth, or challenging times, they may need a talented interim executive to fill a critical leadership gap. Interim executives' experience, skills, and leadership can make a significant difference in a company during a time of change.

It is nevertheless necessary to approach interim executive hiring differently from traditional executive searches. A company must carefully evaluate candidates to ensure they possess the right skills, experience, and cultural fit. This article will explore what to look for when hiring an interim executive and how to ensure a successful placement.

Define the role and expectations of the interim executive

Before beginning the search, it is essential to understand the interim executive's role and expectations. A timeline, specific responsibilities, expected outcomes, and a scope of work should be defined. In addition, companies should ensure the interim executive is culturally fit and has the soft skills to fit in well with the existing team.

Evaluate industry experience

Industry experience is crucial when evaluating candidates for an interim executive role. Hiring candidates with experience in the same field and facing the same challenges is essential. The interim executive can hit the ground running and provide valuable insight into the organization's challenges.

Assess leadership and communication skills

An interim executive must possess strong leadership and communication skills to inspire and motivate their teams while providing clear guidance and direction. A company should look for candidates who can communicate effectively with stakeholders and have demonstrated success in leadership roles.

Look for a problem solver

In most cases, interim executives are brought in to solve a specific problem or resolve an important issue. It is, therefore, imperative to hire candidates with experience solving complex problems. A strategic mindset, rapid analysis of situations, and data analysis are necessary to make informed decisions.

Check references and track record

A successful placement requires checking references and evaluating the track record of candidates. In addition to requesting references from past clients and employers, companies should review the interim executive's portfolio to gain insight into their performance, leadership style, and problem-solving abilities.

Provide a straightforward onboarding process

In order to ensure a seamless transition, an interim executive must be onboarded in a straightforward manner. Setting expectations, providing resources and tools, and establishing communication channels are the components of the process. In addition, companies should make sure interim executives have a deep understanding of their company culture and values.

Conclusion

Hiring an interim executive, they can provide companies with leadership and expertise during a crisis or transition. A company can evaluate candidates based on their industry experience, leadership skills, problem-solving abilities, and track record to find the right interim executive. The onboarding process must be effective in ensuring a successful placement and laying the groundwork for future success.

Author Bio

Ron Crabtree, CEO of MetaOps, Inc. and MetaExperts, provides top-tier interim and full-time operational, supply chain, and digital transformation talent, focused on "Getting Things Done." Ron is internationally recognized as an expert in cutting-edge business process improvement methodologies and authored or co-authored five books on OpEx/Lean Six Sigma.