Interview Questions to Hire Chief Information Officer (CIO)

Chief Information Officers play a large role in ensuring the security and stability of internal IT infrastructures and information security within a company, ensuring the systems in place add the highest possible value to the business. Candidates for this role should have strong technical skills with an educational background in computer science or a related field.

When interviewing a Chief Information Officer, it is important to identify their general business operations knowledge, along with strong technical skills and relevant educational background. Looking for candidates who have a Bachelor’s degree or above in computer science and relevant experience in the field will be key to making the right hire.

Role Specific Questions

• How would you explain and demonstrate the benefits of a new system implementation to a senior executive such as the CFO?
• If the IT department's budget was cut for cost-saving initiatives, what would you prioritize to ensure the department ran effectively?
• What is your knowledge of agile project management? What benefits can it bring to the types of projects you may use it for?
• How would you approach changing an engrained work culture and a team that is set in its ways?
• How do you adapt to changing situations? Such as altering leadership approaches and motivating your team?
• What IT metrics would you review on a daily basis 

Behavioral Questions

• When faced with a new initiative or system rollout, how do you ensure that all team members are on board?
• Tell me about a time you developed and implemented a cost-saving solution. What was it, and how did you do it?
• How do you actively motivate your team and resolve conflicts within the team?

Conclusion

Most Chief Information Officers will be able to provide comprehensive answers and demonstrate in-depth knowledge of these subject matter questions. Look for answers using the star method, and identify where persons are using specific examples from their previous roles/experience to demonstrate their working knowledge.

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