What Strong Candidates Do in the First Interview With an Institution: Insights from Matt Lesher
The first interview for a senior facilities or construction role at a university, health system, or cultural institution tells a hiring team a great deal. Matt Lesher, a search consultant at Real8 Group who places VP of Facilities, Director of Construction, Director of Facilities Operations, and Project Executive candidates, sees the same patterns repeat across searches. The candidates who advance tend to do a handful of things well, and they do them early.
This post outlines those behaviors from the perspective of a search consultant who prepares candidates and debriefs hiring teams. It is written for owners, CEOs, CFOs, CHROs, and facilities leaders who want to know what to listen for, and how to design a first conversation that surfaces it.
Why the First Interview Carries So Much Weight
Institutions are complex places. A first conversation shows whether a candidate understands that complexity or is treating the role like any other facilities job. It also shows how they think, communicate, and handle uncertainty, all of which matter when stakeholders include trustees, clinicians, faculty, and donors.
Technical skill is usually assumed by this stage. What separates finalists is judgment and fit with the institution.
What Strong Candidates Do
They Arrive Having Done Real Homework
Strong candidates have studied the institution’s mission, recent capital projects, leadership changes, and public priorities. They can speak to what the organization is trying to accomplish, not just what the job description lists. This signals genuine interest and respect for the work.
They Ask About Stakeholders Early
In institutional roles, the question of who the leader answers to, and who influences decisions, is central. Strong candidates ask how decisions are made, who needs to be consulted, and where the friction tends to be. These questions show they understand that success depends on navigation, not only delivery.
They Describe Results in Plain Language
Rather than reciting technical detail, strong candidates explain what they did, why it mattered, and what changed as a result. They can describe a project to someone who is not an engineer or builder, which is a skill they will use with boards and executives every day.
They Acknowledge What Went Wrong
Candidates who talk only about wins can sound rehearsed. Those who describe a difficult project, what they would do differently, and what they learned tend to inspire more confidence. Candor about mistakes suggests the person will report problems early once hired.
They Show How They Build Teams
Senior facilities and construction leaders succeed through people. Strong candidates describe who they developed, how they handle underperformance, and how they keep good people. They speak about their teams with specifics rather than generalities.
They Ask Thoughtful Questions About the Role
Good questions show that a candidate is evaluating the opportunity as seriously as the institution is evaluating them. They ask about the capital plan, the state of the infrastructure, the budget process, and how success will be measured. Candidates who ask nothing, or only about compensation, tend to reveal less depth.
Warning Signs Hiring Teams Should Notice
- Generic answers. Responses that could apply to any employer suggest limited preparation.
- Heavy use of “I” for team results. Strong leaders credit their teams and still make their own contribution clear.
- Dismissiveness toward stakeholders. Frustration with clinicians, faculty, or trustees is a concern in institutional roles.
- No curiosity about the organization. Lack of questions can signal a transactional approach.
- Vague accountability. Difficulty explaining what the candidate personally owned on a project.
How Hiring Teams Can Design a Better First Conversation
- Share context in advance. Give candidates the success profile and key priorities so the discussion can go deeper.
- Ask for a specific project walkthrough. Invite the candidate to take you through one project from start to finish.
- Include a stakeholder scenario. Ask how they would handle a disagreement between clinical, financial, and operational priorities.
- Leave time for their questions. The quality of those questions is information.
- Agree on what you are listening for. Align interviewers on the criteria before the conversation begins.
Compensation Conversations Come Later
Strong candidates usually let the role and the institution lead the first discussion. Compensation does matter, and owner-side Directors commonly range from $175K to $250K and VPs from $275K to $600K and up, with construction and CM firms paying Directors $225K to $275K and VPs $275K to $500K and up. But a first interview is rarely the place to settle those details, and a good search partner helps both sides align on range beforehand.
How Real8 Group Can Help
Real8 Group is a specialized executive search firm focused on real estate, construction, engineering, and facilities operations. We prepare candidates for institutional conversations and brief hiring teams on what they are likely to hear. We conduct Director-level through executive searches without a large minimum retainer, and we typically present qualified candidates within two to three weeks.
To discuss a current or upcoming search, visit real8group.com/finding-talent, learn how we work, meet our team, or reach out at real8group.com/contact.
Real8 Group is a specialized executive search firm serving the real estate, construction, engineering, and facilities operations sectors across the U.S.