Executive Recruiter: Common C-Suite Job Interview Mistakes

Third mistake: glossing over areas where their background doesn't fully align with the job specification. Some try to hide gaps, which can appear as a lack of self-awareness, Siegel said. He recalled a CEO candidate who flagged his own shortcoming before the interviewers could raise it. That demonstrated maturity and a clear understanding of the role.

"Acknowledging and moving on from it demonstrates maturity," Siegel said. "You don't have to dwell on it."

Fourth mistake: compressing early career into a list of titles. Senior leaders sometimes omit experiences that shaped their character. Siegel described a finance executive who had worked in airline operations for the first 15 years but boiled that down to a single résumé bullet. Only after probing did Siegel learn that the executive had led teams in a high-pressure, logistically complex environment. That experience made him a stronger candidate.

Fifth mistake: not having a clear answer to "What's your dream job?" Siegel said many accomplished executives lack a clear response. A fuzzy answer suggests they haven't thought enough about what motivates them. A sincere answer can help avoid a bad career move. He pointed to a marketing executive who wanted to work with consumer brands after years at B2B companies. That led both sides to realize the role in question was not a good fit.

"The worst thing you can do is try to be something you're not or try to do something you don't really want to do," Siegel said. "Then you end up in the role and leave after six months because it's not the right fit."