It's important to develop intelligent, probing questions of your
own that will help you get the information you need to make an
informed decision. You ask these questions for two reasons. Obviously,
the first reason is to get information. Secondly, the interviewer
will probably judge you based on the quality of your questions.
You can develop good questions by researching the employer's
organization and the industry. The interviewer will recognize
the extent of your research. It is acceptable to write key questions
on a notepad that you carry with you to the interview. You will
probably ask most of these questions from memory at the appropriate
time. Typically, this will occur near the end of the interview,
and you can refer to your notes if necessary.
Some sample questions might be:
- What kinds of assignments might I expect the first six months
on the job?
- Does your company encourage further education?
- How often are performance reviews given?
- In what ways is a career with your company better than one
with your competitors?
- Is this a new position or am I replacing someone?
- What is the largest single problem facing your staff (department)
now?
- What do you like best about your job/company?
- What qualities are you looking for in the candidate who fills
this position?
- What skills are especially important for someone in this position?
- Where does this position fit into the organizational structure?
- How much travel, if any, is involved in this position?
- What is the next course of action? When should I expect to
hear from you or should I contact you?
Some helpful links:
