Hiring a CTO – Interview questions you need to ask!

Hiring a CTO is no easy task. Ensuring you select the right candidate makes all the difference for your company goals. A Chief Technology Officer is the highest figure in a technology, IT and engineering team. So, you need to know exactly the right questions to ask.

At TechNET CxO, our executive search recruitment services mean we help recruit for this position often. So, understand the key facts a company needs to know. The questions below will give you a guide on how to structure your interview questions.

The top interview questions when hiring a CTO

A great way to structure an interview is to group your questions. After all, hiring senior talent is more about their skills. They will be managing people, a budget and so much more.

Technical skills questions

Of course, a great CTO will have a thorough understanding of many technologies, coding, software development and so on. You also want to get their thoughts on the current approach of the business and how they would evolve it.

• What are your thoughts about the company’s current technology stack?
• What programming languages and software development methodologies have you used?
• Which tracking tools do you use to stay current with project requirements?
• Tell us about some of the technical projects that you have overseen?
• If you had to choose between two technologies, how would you choose one? Explain your process.
• How do you stay up to date with current technological trends?
• What technology innovation do you think will impact businesses over the next 5 years?

Work ethic questions

A Chief Technology Officer will have a lot to do – an unrivalled work ethic is integral to success.

• What does having a good work ethic mean to you?
• How effectively do you work remotely?
• What’s your approach to staying motivated?
• How do you prioritize tasks?
• What led you to this very point in your career?

People skills questions

• What are the three most important qualities of a great manager?
• Describe your leadership style
• How do you motivate your team members?
• What are some of the challenges faced by leaders in a tech company?
• How do you deal with challenges to your authority as a manager?
• How would you deal with tensions among your team?

Helping you hire CTO’s

Let TechNET CxO find you senior talent that won’t let you down! With years of experience in hiring CTO’s, we are confident we can help you. Submit an enquiry today and let’s discuss your executive search recruitment needs!