Tough Interview Questions Part2 - The ones YOU should ask THEM

Tough Interview Questions
Part II - The ones YOU should ask THEM
By Jennifer Daggs, Recruitment Director for Manpower Temporary Services

Okay, so you’ve waded your way through the morass of pitfalls and tough interview questions being fired at you across the desk by the steely-eyed interviewer who is watching you with the intent gaze of a great white sensing the distress thrashing of a wounded mackerel. You feel like you’ve held firm in the face of the barrage and managed to nimbly wind your way through the verbal traps by giving intelligent, concise yet well-thought out answers to every question that has come your way. You surreptitiously wipe your sweating palms upon the pants or skirt of your best suit and smugly congratulate yourself on giving the interview of the century. The position is in the bag and the career of your dreams is only a step away. You’ve answered all their questions, now there’s nothing more to do but sit back, relax and wait for the offers to come rolling in, right? WRONG, for with no warning, it hits you right between the eyes. The final hurdle has yet to be crossed on the pathway to eternal career happiness. The interviewer leans back, shows those pearly whites and says, "Do you have any questions for me?"

Okay, so maybe it’s not that bad, but when job hunting, you need to remind yourself that an interview is not a one sided conversation. While it’s true that most of the interview will probably be spent in answering their questions (which was covered in our September article "Ten Tough Interview Questions), there are certain things that you should ask during almost any interview. The answers to those questions will help you gain a better understanding of what the position you are applying for entails and what the company is really all about. But, contrary to what you may be thinking, "How much does it pay?" and "How many weeks of vacation do I get?" should not be at the top of the list. In fact, they should be at the very bottom. Nothing deflates an interviewer’s opinion of you faster than those two questions. Being mainly concerned with those two questions gives the impression, deserved or not, that you are only interested in what the company can do for you, not what you can do for the company. All JFK paraphrases aside, while it’s true that most of us work because we have to and money is the overwhelming, if not ONLY, reason we work, coming across as someone who is only interested in putting in as much effort as it takes to do an adequate job then collecting your paycheck is NOT the impression you want to give. Asking intelligent, interested and insightful questions about the company, its policies and what would be expected of you in the position under consideration, however, engenders an impression of a thoughtful, energetic person who would be a great asset to any company.

Now, in case you’re like many people and are nervous in job interviews, it would be a good idea to prepare yourself with a couple of questions ahead of time. I always recommend taking a note pad with you to any interview, anyway. It gives you something to do with your hands, and helps to cut down on any nervous fidgeting to which you may succumb. It also shows a degree of preparedness that most interviewers appreciate. When it comes time for you to ask your questions, jot down the answers so you can go back over them later and build upon them if there is a second interview.

Okay, you have your trusty notepad, so let’s go over 12 of the most importantquestions you could ask your potential employer during your interview:

1. Why is the position open?

The answer to this question may tell you if there is room for growth within the company if the person you are replacing has been promoted to a different position. Also, see if the company tried to fill the current opening from within, this gives an indication as to where in the hierarchy the position lies. If no one within the company wants it, you may want to ask yourself why.

2. Why did the interviewer join the company?

You can learn a lot about the company and how they treat their employees if the interviewer is talkative and positive about their own experiences. This can also show that you’re a ‘people’ person and genuinely interested in your co-workers.

3. To whom would you report?

Often the interviewer is not the actual supervisor or manager that you would report to should you get the position. If at all possible, see if you can meet this other person before you leave. If you can not meet them right then, see if you can set up an appointment for a later date or even introduce yourself to them over the telephone. It is always a good idea to meet the person to whom you would be reporting, preferably before you accept any job offer. That way, though you don’t want to jump to any conclusions, you can judge for yourself whether there would be any obvious personality conflicts before you accept a position and you’re stuck.

4. Where is the job located?

This is especially important if you have any objections to moving out of your current area or if you don’t want a long commute. Many growing companies have positions in other states while on the local scene the employment screening may take place in one facility while the position is located in another that is further away from your home. Make sure you clarify where you would be expected to work.

5. What type of training is required?

Make sure you ascertain if the company will be training you or if you will need to foot the bill. Also, inquire as to what sort of educational requirements are needed for promotion within the company and if they offer any sort of educational reimbursement for on-going career enhancement or college tuition.

6. What would your first assignment be?

Try to at least get some generalities about what sort of things will be required of you. This will give you a better understanding of what you will actually be doing and reduce the chances of a misunderstanding as to what the job actually entails.

7. What are the realistic chances of growth on the job?

The answer to this question will help you define your future with this company if there is one.

8. What are the skills and attributes most needed to get ahead in the company?

Knowing how you will be judged is very important in order to succeed. It’s much easier to meet expectations and goals if they’ve been clearly defined for you. The more you understand about what is required, the less likely you are to fall short of those expectations.

9. Who will be the company’s major competitor?

Asking the interviewer this question will give you an idea of what you’re up against interms of competitors and it also allows you the chance to assess the company’s survival. If they’re a small corporation that makes gadgets in four different varieties and they tell you a super giant gadget maker that offers one hundred different varieties just opened up, you may want to reconsider your application. You may be better off applying with the super giant gadget maker down the street when it comes to job security and career longevity.

10. What has been the growth pattern of the company?

If you want to grow with the company you’d better be joining a company that’s growing. As their income continues to grow, hopefully, so will yours.

11. If there is a written job description, may you see it?

I can’t stress how important this could be for you. It will truly help define what you will be doing if you’re offered the position. Often the job description will list those other "little" jobs that the interviewer forgets to mention before the job offer and, again, it sets out goals and expectations clearly and concisely so you’ll know going into it what to expect.

12. How regularly do performance evaluations occur?

This will give you an idea of how often a wage or salary increase could occur as well as how your own growth or progress will be charted. Performance evaluations are important tools and a well-managed company that is interested in helping their employees do a good job will stress the performance evaluation process.

Now, if your head is reeling with all the things you should be asking your interviewer, good. That is as it should be. Go and write all those careening thoughts down in some sort of coherent order so you can take them with you into your next interview. If you still feel somewhat confused and apprehensive and think you need some more information, our always surprising Publisher, turned me on to a excellent job hunting tool called Knock ‘em Dead With Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions by Martin Yate (Bob Adams, Inc. 1995). I cannot say enough about this publication. If you would like to learn more about how to kick butt at an interview I highly recommend Knock ‘em Dead. This book is an easy read and full of helpful information for the serious job seeker. It takes you through the entire job hunting process from how to get organized even before you put your resume in the mail to going over some of the toughest stress interview questions.

I highly recommend it as a reference manual for anyone who is serious about finding a new career.

So, to recap. Don’t be afraid to ask questions on an interview, in fact, it’s imperative that you do. Don’t try to control the interview completely and don’t overdo it by asking question after question after question. Do, however, show an interest in the company, its policies and, specifically, what would be expected of you if you were to get the position. Remember, this is your career we’re talking about and any job is a partnership between the employer and the employee, don’t forget that. If you’re assertive, ask the right questions and give the impression that you’ll work hard and be an asset instead of a liability, doors will be opened to you and you’ll have a better chance of hearing those sweetest of words , "I’d like to offer you the position of…"