The bad, the ugly and the good
Congratulations on securing the interview! This means your resume, networking and online job search efforts are paying off! An interview is a two-way street. They check you, but you also check them. Great candidates were skipped because they didn’t ask good questions (or any questions) in the interview. Use these questions to set yourself apart from the crowd.
Bad
Asking questions about vacation, salary, promotion speed, benefits, or anything else under the broad umbrella of “What can you do for me, employer?” All should be out of bounds. Get to know them first. Courtship is allowed to happen. Let them get to know you. These are details that can wait until you get closer to the offer/rental point.
ugly
There are also some questions you can ask if your goal is to be sure you don’t count. Some of those red flags include:
- So what does this organization even do?
- How often do you drug test?
- How easy are you to attend?
- Is the boss single?
We offer these in jest (mostly), so make sure your questions focus on the actual job.
are good
A prepared candidate arrives 10 minutes early for an interview armed with a list of questions – probably more than time will allow – to learn more about success in the position, in the organization and to learn things that are not otherwise available in advance. This prepared candidate listens to answers, doesn’t worry about the pause in conversation necessary for good comments, and blurts out questions that he answers before you ask them.
1. Based on what you have seen of me, what obstacles do you think I will need to overcome to provide great success in this role?
Why: It allows you to see what objections they see to hiring you. It also shifts your focus to achieving success, not just putting in the work.
Note: You must have been in the interview for some time and answered some of their questions. If they tell you the obstacles, you learn about yourself. You also have a chance to defend yourself. If you leave without knowing this, chances are you won’t get another chance and you might make the same “mistakes”.
2. This is my review for the year and you are excited because I did a great job and you are the one who hired me. What specific things did I do to create this situation?
Why: Again, this question focuses on success and it paints a picture for the hiring manager. They envision (a) hiring you and (b) great success for both of you. They give you some specific things they look for to define success.
Note: Please change the format for each of these questions to suit you and the situation. If they don’t have a good answer to that question, however you ask it, success may be difficult to define and therefore achieve.
3. Based on the company’s overall direction, what do you anticipate will be the company’s biggest achievement in 18, 24, or 36 months?
Why: If you’re asking about strategy, most people don’t understand it well enough to be knowledgeable and the interview is likely to focus on your accomplishments and results, so it’s wise to ask about the overall goals and positive outcomes the company hopes to achieve. Reminding them that you are focused on results and success is good, but also joining an organization that knows where it is headed (beyond survival) helps you make a better decision when choosing your next employer.
4. Why is this position open?
Why: You need to find out about the company’s culture and the nature of this particular role. Perhaps it reveals an atmosphere of high turnover, opportunities for promotion or perhaps big shoes to fill.
Note: If they tell you that the last three people in this position have all died of heart attacks in the last 18 months, consider yourself warned against the pressure. If they’ve had seven people in that position over the past five years and none of them have been able to do the job well, that should create some more questions you can ask about the high turnover. One question may lead to the next. Listen carefully and pay attention.
5. Tell me a little about why you like working here?
Why: It’s personal. It’s opinion based. Everyone likes to talk about themselves and give their opinion/advice.
Note: If they have a less convincing answer that sounds convincing, it might be. Pay attention and listen. Pause and take notes. Ask follow-up questions if necessary and don’t settle for a less than complete answer.
6. Assuming all of this works out and you hire me, what will I find most surprising about this organization in that first week on the job?
Why: Again, you paint a picture of your employees and put your focus on actually doing the work. Acknowledging that you will be surprised by something shows that you are thoughtful and realistic.
7. Can you give me an example of someone who was hired in the last two years in a similar position who has already progressed in their career from that initial entry point? Specifically, can you explain what they did to make this happen?
Why: Sometimes, employers promise promotion opportunities or at some level, use this as a selling point for the job/employer. Expand this approach to ask for specific examples of anything that piques your interest (advancement, bonus income, training, creative tasks, ability to hire teams, etc.) or makes you more attracted to work.
Note: As with all questions, ask with judgment and listen carefully to the responses to assess whether you really believe what they are saying.
7½. What are the potential ways to progress from this position within the organization?
Why: It’s good to show that you want to increase your contribution to the employer. It also shows that you expect to deliver great success.
Note: Be careful asking about this (that’s why it’s a ½ question). You don’t want to be seen as hijacking the role of the person interviewing you. You also don’t want them to worry that you’re so upwardly mobile that you won’t focus long enough to do a good job in that role, or that you’ll take any other job that comes along.
Two final thoughts:
First role play in the interview. Anticipate the questions they will ask and practice asking your own. Let’s assume they answer one or more of these before you get to ask them.
Also, make sure you have someone to encourage you before the interview that you coached to “speak some truth to you” and remind you of all the good things you bring to this particular employer. You must project confidence.
