How to Tackle an SME Interview
It’s finally going to happen—you’ve secured a block of time with a company’s CEO, Chief Innovator, or Inventor. You can do this! But before you dive in, do your homework, create a plan, have contingency questions at the ready, and rehearse.
People have complexities, and so should your story.
No accomplished individual got there by magic. There were trials, failures, aha moments, and long nights that made that person who they are. They had mentors, family support, or varied experiences that contributed to their rise. While all these factors were likely unplanned, they were far from a given. Experts are typically creative, open to new ideas, and willing to take measured risks. Many technical experts that I’ve interviewed over the years have honed some skill that’s unique to them and difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate—like being able to hear if a gear needs grease. They, many times, are great teachers and like to give their customers (or any audience) a good explanation of what went wrong and how they fixed it. In addition, they are willing to be ambassadors for their company. Some are just great problem solvers—able to zoom out and see the big picture as well as organize a complex and detailed system of remedies. They are all naturally curious people.
Fun? Yes! It’s time to prepare for your interview.
Start with the internet and social media, like LinkedIn. Dig in to find out what might be interesting to focus in on, including their education background. Supplement that with any newswire articles, accolades, or business associations where that person might be active. Some example questions to ask:
What did you learn when working for xyz company that motivated you to become an expert?
Tell me about your engineering awards or patents and how they relate to your current role.
I see that you majored in philosophy. How does that apply to what you do as a chief scientist? (I promise, you’ll get a real answer.)
Start by asking simple and straightforward questions about this person and their background. They need to be warmed up…and so do you. Based on their answers, it shouldn’t take long to find a few gems to focus on. Your questions should center around, “tell me more”. For instance, tell me more about that difficult project assigned to you when you first got started. Tell me more about why you went back to school to get your PhD. Or tell me why you think you were promoted after that particular project. Work with your interviewee from their early career up through the present day. I often have had SMEs ask me to start earlier because their parent, teacher, or coach had a big influence on them at an early age.
Next, ask about critical points in their career. For instance, they were about to be promoted when another company lured them away. Why did they take that opportunity? Did they see it as a risk? Depending on the seniority of the SME, you may get several of these inflection points. You know you’ve hit the target when they respond with a phrase like, “That’s when I knew, this was for me.”
Not everyone is a blabber, particularly scientists and technologists. You may need to have some contingency questions at the ready…just in case. In those instances, I try to make associations, so that the spotlight isn’t directly on them. Here are some examples:
Who on your team are you most proud of? What did they learn from you?
What do customers say about your work?
What pieces of advice can you pass along to those who are new to this field?
Ask a colleague or peer to go through the entire interview process with you for practice. They don’t necessarily need to play a role; they can just be themselves. You—and they—will be surprised about what you uncover, even if you think you know them well already. This will give you the confidence you need to tackle your ‘actual’ SME interview and also be alerted to what makes you stumble.
Good luck with your interview and don’t forget to ask them where they think this should appear. You may already have planned a company blog entry or email campaign; however, they might have some good insights on an industry publication or business association where this could prove beneficial, or even an alumni journal. As a humorous aside, some of my interviewees have given my write-up draft to their spouses—for a reaction, more so than editing. Those comments have been eye-opening, as well. You just don’t know where the interview will take you—and that’s half the fun of doing these.
About the Author
Francine is President and CEO of Markitects, a Strategic Marketing agency that serves technology, engineering, and industrial companies. Since 1994, Markitects has introduced and positioned over 500 products, services, and companies through unique and targeted marketing communications strategies.