On average, $100k+ jobs are anything but average. They’re demanding roles that require executives to step up from contributor to leader. As such, the selection process for these positions is designed to sift the average from the extraordinary. The interview strategies that charmed hiring managers during five–figure job interviews may no longer work their magic. Consider the following tips when making your interview approach.

Overcome the Communication Barrier

It is my personal observation that executives in the upper echelon of the workforce prefer giving concise, often closed–ended responses to interview questions. Brevity is certainly appreciable, but if the response fails to communicate the message effectively, it won’t do much good.

When asked about leadership skills, for example, many executives would frame their response into one sentence. Here are examples of weak and strong strategies:

Weak Strategy:
“I consider myself to be a great leader.” or, “I have excellent leadership skills.”

Strong Strategy:
“During the past two decades, I have worked in many senior leadership roles. These were strategic positions where I leveraged my leadership skills to spearhead cross–functional teams of 300+ professionals across three countries. Under my direction, these teams performed at 120% and won over 15 Best Team awards. In 2007, I was selected from 500 leaders for the Most Admired Leader award. In fact, at XYZ Inc., our CEO was so impressed with my style that he asked me to train 150 managers. On completion of this program, our organization was able to achieve ABC Certification and was featured in the list of Top Ten Companies within our industry. Our board of directors credited this victory to my leadership style.”

Focus on Past Results and Future Value

While delivering interview responses, it is very important to demonstrate how you drove results at past employers and how you can continue driving success in your future position. In other words, explain how your past results are a potent indicator of your future value.

Weak Strategy:
“I consistently generated millions of dollars in revenue.”

Strong Strategy:
“I have been a major revenue driver at every employer. At LMN Company, I beat 4,000 sales professionals nationwide by performing at 183%. During the past four years, I have generated over $150 million from 14 accounts. I intend to bring these relationships to this new position and to drive at least $45 million in sales within the first year of employment.”

Translate the Benefits

Instead of focusing on potential benefits to the employer, most interviewees limit their interview responses to their background information. In other words, it is not enough to say what you have to offer; the response must go a step further and explain how your qualifications will benefit the organization. Don’t assume the hiring manager will draw the right conclusions.

Weak Strategy:
“I have experience in taking drug molecules all the way through Phase IV of clinical trials.”

Strong Strategy:
“I have over ten years of experience in driving promising drug molecules from random screening to Phase IV of clinical trials. In the past seven years, I have taken at least three blockbuster drugs to Phase IV. I expect all of these to be cleared by the end of 2008. My ability to take drug molecules through all phases of clinical trials can significantly benefit your company by cutting research time and driving profitability.”

Research Their Needs

Conduct thorough research about the company –– its mission, background, goals, future projects, culture, news, stock prices - anything you can find. From employees to vendors, customers, Internet research, and SEC filings – there are a number of information sources you can leverage to facilitate your research.

Having determined the company’s needs, prepare a compelling strategy to position you for those needs. Consider the following example: Candidate Z was interviewing for an online marketing manager position. He had researched the company and was aware of some problems their marketing team was facing, specifically the failure of a recently launched affiliate program.

Weak Strategy:
He decides not to mention the issue in order to skirt the organization’s recent press issues.

Strong Strategy:
He leverages this fact to his advantage and at every meeting during the interview process, uses past examples to showcase his ability to turnaround poorly performing affiliate programs into highly successful revenue drivers.

By preparing these scripts for common interview questions you can ace the hotseat. You should also prepare short (30 seconds to two minutes), almost commercial–like marketing messages positioning you as the perfect candidate for the job. This way, you’ll showcase your skills and end up sifted into the extraordinary pile.