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President Interview Questions

Edited by Indeed Employer Content Team
Last updated December 5, 2024
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Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

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Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top President interview questions and answers.

  1. Can you walk me through how you communicate to mid-level and senior-level staff who report to you? See answer
  2. Have you ever needed to deal with a management scandal? How did you handle it? See answer
  3. Can you describe your core philosophy for leading a company? See answer
  4. What are the things you consider when setting priorities to guide the company? See answer
  5. How do you approach developing measurable performance criteria for your executive team? See answer
  6. If you notice a decline in morale amongst your staff, what do you do to motivate them? See answer
  7. If your company loses market share to your largest competitor, who would you add to the team to help?
  8. Can you describe what a president’s typical day looks like?
  9. What skills and competencies do you consider important for a president to perform effectively?
  10. Based on your experience, what role does a president perform for a company?
  11. Do you think streamlining operation costs is a better way to improve a company’s profits than expanding the customer base?
  12. Can you describe how you would handle a teammate who challenges your opinion?
  13. If you’re faced with a financially attractive project that tests your ethics, how would you handle it?
  14. What do you know about people management, and how can you apply it here?
  15. As the president, what kind of corporate culture would you promote?
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Hire your next President today.

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Hire your next President today.

Post a job
Our mission

Indeed’s Employer Resource Library helps businesses grow and manage their workforce. With over 15,000 articles in 6 languages, we offer tactical advice, how-tos and best practices to help businesses hire and retain great employees.

Read our editorial guidelines

15 President Interview Questions and Answers

If your company loses market share to your largest competitor, who would you add to the team to help? 

A company's 9614407director of operations3.23president2.3ceo0.81operations0.79executive director0.77828149043000.00172770.73387000.00YEARLY1195602025-09-012025-09-302025-08-012025-08-312025-10-05President is responsible for providing leadership and formulating its strategy in troubled times. This question assesses the candidate's business acumen and knowledge of relevant specialists to improve productivity. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of viable sources of help
  • Humility to seek help when needed 
  • Leadership and collaborating skills

Example:

 "If my company starts to lose to a competitor, my first approach would be to bring in a data scientist team to tell us why the data says we're losing. I'd also hire a digital team to optimize our processes and give us an operational edge."

Can you describe what a president's typical day looks like? 

This question helps you determine a candidate's familiarity with the role and its requirements. You can also determine if they fit into your company's realities. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of the role 
  • Familiarity with the daily activities of a president 
  • Time management skills 

Example:

 "This definitely varies on the company and the tasks at hand. Generally, a president's day involves meetings with board members to discuss the company's affairs, strategy meetings with senior-level executives, project supervision, and overseeing general operations. A typical day also involves strategic meetings with stakeholders, like local leadership and pressure groups."

What skills and competencies do you consider important for a 9614407director of operations3.23president2.3ceo0.81operations0.79executive director0.77828149043000.00172770.73387000.00YEARLY1195602025-09-012025-09-302025-08-012025-08-312025-10-05President to perform effectively? 

This question helps you assess your candidate's skill set and helps you determine if they understand what it takes to lead a company competently. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of what makes a successful president 
  • Understanding of the role and its duties 
  • Articulation of the answer

Example:

 "Most importantly, I believe a president needs strategic thinking because they're responsible for formulating the company's long-term goals. Communication and organizational skills are also essential to help the president work effectively with other employees. Lastly, I believe a president needs integrity and honesty to inspire trust from the board and other employees."

Based on your experience, what role does a president perform for a company? 

A president's role encompasses leadership and requires varying duties depending on the nature and position of the company. This question aims to evaluate the candidate's understanding of the role and how they approach their duties. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of the role 
  • Approach to leadership
  • Specific roles mentioned by the candidate

Example:

"Where there is no CEO, a president is the head of a company and generally provides leadership. The president's duties vary depending on the type of leadership the company needs but generally involve communicating with employees, formulating strategy and supervising its implementation, and guiding all company operations."

Can you walk me through how you communicate to mid-level and senior-level staff who report to you?

The 9614407director of operations3.23president2.3ceo0.81operations0.79executive director0.77828149043000.00172770.73387000.00YEARLY1195602025-09-012025-09-302025-08-012025-08-312025-10-05President needs to receive constant updates from every management arm in the company but often has limited time. This question determines if the candidate can manage time effectively while maintaining communication with all important executives. What to look for in an answer:

  • Practical experience working with multiple layers of management 
  • Time management skills 
  • Leadership and organizational skills 

Example:

 "I ensure that I reserve one day a week for internal meetings. I typically instruct my assistant to forward a meeting memo to all attendants so everyone knows the meeting agenda and can prepare ahead of time. I keep the meetings brief and straight to the point to free up time for other necessary activities."

Do you think streamlining operation cost is a better way to improve a company's profit than expanding the consumer base? 

Understanding what drives profitability is essential for company presidents. This question tests if the candidate can develop and implement effective business strategies to reach company goals. You can consider the candidate's justification for their answer and the examples they cite. What to look for in an answer:

  • A solid rationale for the chosen strategy
  • Understanding of revenue and cost structures 
  • Ability to plan effective business strategy 

Example:

 "A business in this industry requires extensive technological investments to cut costs significantly, which might take years. On the other hand, expanding our consumer base is more easily achievable with fewer cost requirements. Therefore, I recommend expanding the consumer base in this instance."

Can you describe how you would handle a teammate who challenges your opinion? 

This question helps to reveal the candidate's leadership style, conflict-management skills, and how well they can work in a team. What to look for in an answer:

  • Ability to navigate volatile situations 
  • Confidence in leadership ability
  • Ability to receive criticism in good faith 

Example:

 "As a seasoned industry leader, I recognize the importance of an atmosphere that allows the free flow of ideas. While I make the decisions, I believe others can offer valuable insight and always take the time to listen. If the teammate raises their objection respectfully, I request their rationale and pay attention. If the teammate is confrontational, I prefer to meet personally to determine the problem."

If you're faced with a financially attractive project that tests your ethics, how would you handle it?  

While driving profitability is the president's responsibility, having strong ethics is equally important to avoid liability or compromising company values. This question tests the candidate's ethical foundation and helps you determine if they're a good fit for your company. What to look for in an answer:

  • Strong sense of ethics 
  • Alignment with company values 
  • Ability to logically weigh the cost and benefits of a project

Example:

 "A plan that has negative ethical implications violates our corporate social responsibility and violates brand identity. These are the most important factors for sustainable growth, and I cannot sacrifice them regardless of the financial gain."

Have you ever needed to deal with a management scandal? How did you handle it?

Beyond supervision, the 9614407director of operations3.23president2.3ceo0.81operations0.79executive director0.77828149043000.00172770.73387000.00YEARLY1195602025-09-012025-09-302025-08-012025-08-312025-10-05President is also the face of your organization and is responsible for dealing with previous mismanagement or rumours of mismanagement. This question helps you gauge a candidate's ability to handle public relations and protect your brand image. What to look for in an answer:

  • Understanding of public relations
  • Ability to handle external pressure 
  • Leadership and brand-management skills 

Example:

"At my last job, I had to replace a president who had gone to jail on counts of embezzlement. Upon resumption, I immediately hired a team of external auditors to show the public and our shareholders that we had addressed the problem. I also maintained transparency on nonsensitive matters with the press."

What do you know about people management, and how can you apply it here?

The company president is also responsible for supervising human resources and ensuring they perform optimally. This question gives key insight into the candidate's management style. You can also note if they're familiar with managing workforces of your company's size. What to look for in an answer: 

  • Knowledge of people management and its application
  • Managerial capacity
  • Previous experience managing employees

Example:

"People management is simply the process involved in talent acquisition, optimization, and retention. I believe a company's employees are its life source, so I always have a policy that invests in people's management. I dedicate time and resources to understanding my employees, allowing open communication, and providing incentives for good work."

Can you describe your core philosophy for leading a company?

As the person determining the company's long-term strategy and other major decisions, the president's mindset and values regarding leadership are important information. This question helps you know if the candidate's philosophy on corporate leadership aligns with your company's values. What to look for in an answer:

  • Leadership and managerial skills
  • Clear management philosophy
  • Confidence when articulating an answer 

Example:

"I've shaped my philosophy based on my years of experience in industry leadership. I believe in open communication, definite goals but a flexible approach, and investing in my employees. I also believe in adaptability and moving with the times when leading a group."

What are the things you consider when setting priorities to guide the company?

The 9614407director of operations3.23president2.3ceo0.81operations0.79executive director0.77828149043000.00172770.73387000.00YEARLY1195602025-09-012025-09-302025-08-012025-08-312025-10-05President determines the company's priorities and how the company allocates and uses resources. This question aims to give you insight into the candidate's decision-making approach and what they consider important. You can note how the candidate justifies their answer. What to look for in an answer:

  • Approach to decision making 
  • Justification for answer 
  • Understanding of prioritization and resource management 

Example:

 "I always do a comprehensive analysis of the business before I decide on company goals. I  use the SWOT analysis and gear my efforts  toward optimizing strength and reducing weaknesses. I ensure I consult all sub-executives and consider their opinions."

How do you approach developing measurable performance criteria for your executive team?

As the company's overall supervisor, the president is responsible for developing performance criteria for other executives and tracking their progress. This question helps you know if the candidate has experience formulating measurable criteria to judge performance. What to look for in an answer:

  • Practical experience developing measurable criteria
  • Leadership and managerial skills
  • Justification for chosen criteria

Example:

 "My approach is to meet with other executives and understand their plans for their various departments. Then, we break down these plans into measurable goals and allocate timelines, which I use to track progress. I request regular updates from team leads to achieve this."

As the 9614407director of operations3.23president2.3ceo0.81operations0.79executive director0.77828149043000.00172770.73387000.00YEARLY1195602025-09-012025-09-302025-08-012025-08-312025-10-05President, what kind of corporate culture would you promote? 

A company's corporate culture refers to the beliefs and behaviours that characterize an organization, and it affects a lot, including employee morale and customer satisfaction. This question tests a candidate's ability to maintain or promote a positive corporate culture. What to look for in an answer:

  • Knowledge of the impact of the corporate culture 
  • Leadership and managerial skills 
  • Practical experience developing a corporate culture 

Example:

 "Our corporate culture is a huge part of our brand identity and reflects our deepest values as a company. I consider it paramount to create an environment that attracts customers, and I ensure we reflect that in all our processes, especially recruitment."

If you notice a decline in morale amongst your staff, what do you do to motivate them?

This question helps you assess the candidate's ability to understand the company's workers and create a stimulating environment for them. You can also note how the candidate employs empathy and emotional intelligence in their approach. What to look for in an answer:

  • Practical experiencing managing employees
  • Communication skills 
  • Empathy and emotional intelligence

Example:

"I typically incentivize productive behaviour to encourage it among employees. Conversely, if I notice a general decline in morale, I communicate with employees to get to the root of their dissatisfaction and solve any problems I identify. For instance, I once introduced yoga sessions to enable employees to cope with workplace stress."

Three individuals are sitting at a table with a laptop, a disposable coffee cup, notebooks, and a phone visible. Two are facing each other, while the third’s back is to the camera. The setting appears to be a bright room with large windows.

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