I recently had the pleasure of helping some very talented people who were downsized from their organization, prep to dive into the job hunting pool. Most of them had been with their organization for over ten years and subsequently, it had been that long since any of them reviewed their resume or had an interview. One common question prevailed and that was, “Can I ask questions during the interview process?”
The short answer…Yes! But I thought I would list some questions that would be good to ask during an interview. I’ve recently written a blog on interview questions (Common Interview Questions and Answers), so I thought I’d write this one from the other side of the table.
First of all, employers want you to ask questions. It shows your interest in their organization and position. You have to remember that you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you, so tailor your questions to get the answers you need to make a decision on whether you’d want to work there should you get an offer.
Get to know the position.
Don’t rely on the job description alone. In most cases, not all of the position responsibilities or challenges are listed. Here is the key…when asking, put yourself into the role. For example, “What are the top three things I would need to accomplish in this role?”, versus “What are the three most important things that need to be done in this role?” See the difference? The more you can put yourself into the position, the more they will see you in it. Other great questions, “How often would I engage with my peers?”, “What is your expectation of me for the first 90 days?” Tailor the questioning to the tasks for the position.
Get to know your future boss.
Here is a chance to start building rapport with the person who would be your boss. If you haven’t researched them before meeting them in the interview, shame on you. I guarantee they’ve tried to do some research on you. You should at least return the gesture. Questions like, “What brought you to this organization?”, or “What keeps you here?”, can give you some insight into their feelings about the organization. Believe me, they really do want to talk about themselves.
Get to know the organization and culture.
Finally, a chance to show you did your homework. Questions about the organization from a big picture perspective, can show your interviewer that you not only understand the company, but it’s place in the industry. “What makes you better than your competition?” “What are your projections for growth over the next five years?” Simple questions that can have an impact on how you are seen as a candidate. It can also help you in your decision whether to work there or not. But that is a topic for another blog.
Good luck!
The Rant 