Ask the Headhunter is my column where I answer your job search and hiring questions. This week’s question is a reader-style question, based on one I hear from candidates all the time.

The Question

“Joe, I made it to the final round for a vice president role. They’ve scheduled me for a full day of back-to-back interviews with five people, including the CEO. I’ve done well so far, but I’m nervous about keeping my energy up and standing out in every single meeting. How do I make sure I’m the one they pick?”

My Answer

First, congratulations. Getting to the final round means they already believe you can do the job. Now the question changes. It’s no longer “Can this person do it?” It’s “Do we want this person on our team?” A full day of interviews is really five separate first impressions, and each one gets a vote. Here’s how I coach executives through this day after 40 years as a headhunter.

1. Get your head right before you walk in

The biggest part of interviewing is your attitude and mental state. In my book Work Your Network! I say it plainly: better to be an hour early than a minute late. Get there early, sit in the car and replay the best interview you ever had. We’ve all had one great interview where everything worked. Find yours and run it back in your mind several times before you go in. You want to walk into the first meeting already feeling like the winner.

2. Treat every interviewer like the only one

Here’s the trap on a long day: by the fourth meeting you’re tired, you’ve told your best story three times, and you start to coast. Don’t. The fourth person never heard that story. People make most of their judgments about each other in the first 20 seconds, so reset at every door. Stand up, make eye contact, give a good firm handshake and bring the same energy you brought at 8 in the morning. Employers are looking for confidence and energy, and on a long day the candidate who still has both at 4 o’clock stands out.

A practical tip: eat something at lunch even if they keep you talking, keep a bottle of water with you, and take 30 seconds between meetings to breathe and reset.

3. Let each interviewer run the show

A lot of people get ruled out because they ask a lot of well thought out questions too early, which throws interviewers out of their rhythm. Each of your five interviewers has their own agenda. The CFO wants to know about numbers, the head of HR wants to know about culture, and the CEO wants to know if they can trust you. Let them lead. Your goal is to get into a conversation. As I wrote in the book: try less to impress and more to be impressed.

4. Bring your questions, and tailor them to each person

I tell every candidate to have 20 written questions with them on every interview. You may not ask them all, but just having them will boost your confidence. On a five-person day, group them by interviewer so you never ask the CEO the same thing you asked the controller. Remember MOPFI, taught by Dale Carnegie: Make Other People Feel Important. One of my favorites is “You seem like the kind of person who could work anywhere you want. Why did you choose to work for this company?” It works on every level, from a team lead all the way to the CEO.

And don’t ask about salary or benefits. Let them bring it up. In salary negotiation, often he who speaks first loses.

5. Close every meeting and ask for their vote

After you leave, that team is going to huddle up, and each person is going to give you a thumbs up or a thumbs down. So close each conversation, don’t just end it. When a meeting has gone well, ask something like “Do you feel I could do this job? Are you comfortable working with me?” If the answer is yes, follow with “Great. Could I have your vote when the team talks about me?” Is it taking a chance? Yes. If you can pull it off naturally, it can make the difference. If it doesn’t sound like you, say it your own way. Be yourself.

Finish like a class act

That night, send a personal thank you note to all five people, and make each one specific to your conversation with that person. Then, when you land the job, send an announcement to everyone who helped you during your search and tell them where you’re going to work. About 18 out of 20 people skip that last step. It’s the easiest way to show the world you’re a class act, and it keeps your network warm for the next time you need it.

A final round is a marathon of first impressions. Prepare for each person, bring fresh energy to every door, and ask for the vote. You’ve already shown them you can do the job. Now show them they want to work with you.

If you’re an executive weighing your next move, my team and our 700-recruiter network work searches from $75,000 to $2,000,000 in base salary. You can reach me at info@josephmichaels.com.

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