Questions You Might Want to Ask
An interview is a time for you and the company to get
acquainted, compare goals, and ask questions, the means of determining if you
"fit". Being prepared for the interview is one of the first things you can do to
ensure a successful interview.
Things to keep in mind.
Remember that you have as much right to evaluate an employer as an employer
has to evaluate you. One way to ensure that you have adequate information to
make a sound judgment is to ask questions. You may do so at any point in the
interview: at the beginning--to clarify the job description so that you can
relate your experience and skills adequately; in the middle--to clarify a
question you do not understand; at the end-- to show your interest in the
organization and to fill in points which are as yet unanswered. Below are some
possible questions for you to ask:
What's the most important question you can ask?
Ask for the job!
- What specific tasks does the position require?
- Where does this job fit into the organizational structure?
- How will the work be evaluated?
- What kind of supervision will there be?
- Whom would I be working for and with?
- Where is the organization going?
- What opportunities for advancement are there?
- Are there any long range plans for the office or department?
- What is a typical day like?
- How do you encourage innovation?
- What is the financial health of the organization?
- Can schedules vary?
- Is there opportunity for geographic transfers?
- What is the safety record of the organization (if applicable)?
- Will I work independently or with others?
- Are there any questions you have that I could answer about my background?
- If someone had this position before, why did he/she leave?
- How is the department perceived internally?
- What are the major issues that this organization will be facing in the near
future? What role do you see my department (my job) playing in these issues?
- Who are the other people in the department? What are their roles and how
long have they been here?
- What directions is the organization taking and why? Is growth projected?
- How does this organization compare with others like it in the field?
- What do you see as the biggest challenge for the person taking this job?
