Interviewing:
Questions to ask an Interviewer
Interviewers expect candidates to ask intelligent questions concerning the organization and the nature of the work. You should indicate your interest in the company by asking questions. When developing your questions, be sure the answers cannot be found with a little research or online/website. Questions may arise throughout the course of the interview. If there is time at the end, don't bombard the interviewer with questions. Instead, choose three to five questions that are extremely important to you. At least one question should be about the business (see
The Company). Bring a list of questions with you and scan the page when asked for questions to ensure that you do not ask a question that was answered during the course of the interview.
The Position
- Will I work independently or with a team?
- Will I be closely supervised or work on my own?
- Who will I report to? Who will evaluate my work?
- How will my work be evaluated and how often?
- If I meet my goals and objectives and show strong performance, what career path can I expect?
- How will I be trained?
- At the end of my training program, will I have any input as to where I am placed?
- How many of last year's graduates are still in the training program?
- What are the reasons some people choose to leave this program or position?
- What opportunities are there to transfer into other departments within the company?
- What are your short-term and long-term expectations of me?
The Company
- How would you describe the company's corporate culture?
- Where do you see the company going in five years?
- How is the company managed? What is the corporate structure?
- Does the company have a proven track record of promotion from within?
- Beyond the training programs in your brochure, what additional development programs do you offer?
- If I want to further my education, does your company offer tuition benefits?
- Are there recent or anticipated changes in the structure of the corporation – mergers, spin-offs, cut-backs?
- What are the company's goals? How are they developed and reviewed?
- What is the company doing to stay ahead of the competition?
- What is the client mix of this company – public, corporate, individual?
- I am impressed with the growth of Division "X." To what do you attribute this growth?
- What are the market plans to continue that growth or increase market share?
- I notice Division "X" has been a financial drain on the company. What steps are being taken?
The Interviewer
- What attracted you to this company?
- How long have you been with the company? Why have you stayed?
- What skills have you found to be critical to one's success in this job?
- What personal qualities have you found to be critical to one's success in this job?
- Please describe your job within the company and to whom you report.
- What do you like most about your work? What do you like least?
- What other information can I provide to help in your decision making process?
The Interview Process
- What is the next step in your interview process?
- When can I expect to hear from you?
- May I have your business card?
You may want to write your questions down and take them with you on the interview. It is fine if you can recall these questions, but you may need to refer to your list when the interviewer asks if you have any questions. In addition to the questions you have prepared ahead of time, if possible ask a few follow-up questions about specific topics of discussion during the actual interview or information session.
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