As laid-off executives flood the labor pool, some employers are seizing the opportunity to "upgrade" their management teams, say executive recruiters. In this job market, employers realize they might be able to recruit more experienced leaders—possibly at lower salaries—now than in the past, says Joe Goodwin, president of The Goodwin Group, an executive search firm based in Atlanta.

"There are a lot of very experienced, high-quality people who, through no fault of their own, got caught up in this economic tsunami," he says.

Companies are also looking for new executives with the right skills to lead them through the recession, says Dean Bare, managing director of executive search firm Stanton Chase International's Atlanta office.

"Employers today are asking themselves: Do I have the right talent set to take me through the next 18 months?" Bare says.

Because so many candidates are applying for a limited number of executive jobs, employers can be choosey. They're screening many candidates, says Goodwin, and thus it's taking employers longer to make hiring decisions.

Employers aren't in a hurry, either. They're taking their sweet time to get to know a candidate's character, integrity and values, says Bare. Employers are still focused on making sure candidates have the right experience, of course, but that's only the beginning. Now employers are looking hard at a candidate's character to break ties among equally qualified candidates.

[ For more advice on preparing for job interviews, see How to Ace an Executive-Level Job Interview. ]

"A deeper discussion with the candidate about their life experiences is happening now," says Bare. "There's an effort certainly by search professionals and employers to get a sense of the value system a person brings to work. People want to make good and lasting decisions. Employers have learned that a poor hiring decision is incredibly costly."

Got Character? Personal Questions and Gotcha Moments

Employers and executive recruiters are asking some personal questions during job interviews, and they're putting prospective employees in social situations to test how they interact with others, says Bare. For example, a hiring manager or recruiter might ask the candidate to talk about his or her parents.

"Having a candidate talk about their family can tell employers something about the candidate's value system and work ethic," he says.

These personal questions can blindside candidates (particularly those at the mid-management level), Bare says. But they're fair game because they can reveal how a prospective employee will handle surprises, as well as her ability to think on her feet.

Employers and recruiters are also taking out executive-level candidates and their spouses to dinner. While this isn't new, employers are footing the dinner bill more often as a way to size up a candidate's character: how the candidate treats wait staff, interacts with his spouse, and handles a social situation. Employers want to see a candidate who treats people with respect, says Bare, and to get a feel for his or her ability to work a room at a corporate event.