Everyone knows they’ll be expected to answer a series of questions in a job interview.
It is equally important to be prepared to ask good questions. The interviewer will expect it, and I recommend having them outlined in advance so that nothing is forgotten or overlooked. And, it never hurts to show that you spent time thinking through this important meeting!
The interviewee is typically invited to ask questions near the end of the discussion. Following are some questions you may want to ask during your interview:
- Why is this position open? (Due to growth? Or was the position vacated, and if so, why?)
- What is your highest priority in the next six months, and how could I help?
- Are there any challenges in particular awaiting the person who takes on this role?
- What are the characteristics of your top people?
- What are your personal satisfactions and disappointments since you have been with the company?
Notice that I said be prepared to ask good questions. With the amount of information now available at our fingertips, candidates are expected to do a certain amount of research before the interview. Asking questions that could easily be answered by visiting the company’s website or with a simple Google search can make you appear uninspired and unprepared.
Know before you go, and don’t ask:
- What the company does.
- The history of growth of the company.
- Number of employees and locations, annual revenue, and whether they’re publicly or privately held.
- If the company is public, you might want to know its current stock price, bond rating, and overall financial health.
- If the company is private, check your local paper or Google for articles reporting impending layoffs, new product launches, or other potential signs of financial health.
- The company’s top competitors and how they stack up in terms of product, market share, and strengths and weaknesses.
These are all things you should research in advance and incorporate your findings as appropriate in the interview to demonstrate your initiative and readiness.
Whatever you do, don’t be this person:
Adria Alpert Romm, a Human Resources executive for Discovery Communications, is quoted in the May 2009 edition of Real Simple Magazine in an article about how to find (and keep) a job. “I interviewed someone recently and he boasted how much he loved one of our shows. The problem was that the show was on a competing network! It was clear to me that he knew nothing about Discovery.”
Ouch!
Please feel free to post any questions you have in the comments section.
