10 questions you should ask in an interview

damien

http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/Careers/05/06/questions.you.should.ask/index.html

WhiteWashMan

good find.
ive cut and pasted as often these links can get updated or deleted.

it hink the question to ask interviewers is often overlooked, and i have to say is usually my weakness in the interview process.
by the time ive had a 2-3 hour interview and they ask if you have any questions, im usually knackered and cant think straight! but its always important to ask a question, even if its, 'can i have a desk beside the window'



10 questions you should ask in an interview
From CareerBuilder.com
Friday, May 6, 2005 Posted: 9:54 AM EDT (1354 GMT)
Editor's Note: CNN.com has a business partnership with CareerBuilder.com, which serves as the exclusive provider of job listings and services to CNN.com.

When preparing for an interview, most applicants concentrate on formulating well-crafted answers to potential questions from their interviewers. However, not many realize it is just as important to prepare a few good questions they should ask during the interview.
"When interviewing job applicants, I often learn as much from the questions they ask as from the responses they give," said John Langland, president of Langland & Langland Consulting. "What potential employees inquire about reveals what they deem important -- as opposed to merely answering my questions with information they think I will find important."
What can asking questions in an interview do for you?
· Show your interest in the position and the company
· Give you an active role in the interview
· Offer explanations about the position and the company, which help you decide if you want to work for that organization
· Showcase the depth of your knowledge and help you guide the discussion into a particular area of expertise
Langland suggests preparing at least three questions in advance and taking notes during the interview to record the responses.
"A few insightful, knowledgeable questions can speak volumes about you and distinguish you from other job candidates," he said. "However as important as asking questions is asking bad questions, such as, 'How many vacation days does the company offer?' is worse."
Langland advises asking these 10 questions during your next interview:
1. What are the top three tasks you want the candidate to perform after being hired?
This gives you a concrete idea of the projects you will be working on if hired. Often job ads list general qualities and capabilities the position requires, but the answer to this question will lay out the actual specifics of the job.
2. Why did you choose this company?
The answer will help you determine the organization's strengths and weaknesses with this insider's perspective.
3. How do you see me benefiting the company?
This tells you exactly what they're looking for in a candidate and where they see your strengths.
4. Is there room for growth and advancement?
This points to your drive and initiative and underscores your intent to secure a career, not just a job.
5. Are there opportunities for professional training or further education?
This shows a willingness to learn and adapt as changes in the position or industry occur. Adaptability is very important in today's fickle employment market and may make you very valuable to the company should a reorganization occur.
6. How will I be evaluated and by whom?
This provides insight into the company's corporate culture and the department structure in which you will be working.
7. What is the general culture of the company?
This can tell you if you will fit into the organization. If they're strictly a "suit and tie" operation and you're all about comfort clothes, you may want to rethink the position.
8. Are there other job responsibilities not mentioned in the ad?
This reveals exactly what the ad meant when it said: "...and other duties as assigned." Will you be helping other departments in a pinch? Making coffee? These are things you should know before going any further in the candidate selection process.
9. When will you be making a decision on the successful candidate?
Knowing this helps you gauge when to follow up on the interview.
10. May I call you if other questions arise?

Eoin

great link - one for the stickies WWM?

WhiteWashMan

ive already put it into the thread entitled, er, the one with all the previous stickied links.
or something

bandraoi

Ask them what projects they expect you to be working on, then what stage those projects are at, how long those projects last for etc.

Also ask them if project teams are based around clients or tasks - like suppose the company has four or five big companies, does the same group of people always deal with the same company or does the same group of people always deal with the same issues no matter which client it is.

Civilian_Target

They left the most important one to last!

IMO, its ALWAYS worth asking your interviewer for contact details - that way if you get no reply 2 weeks down the road, but are still interested in the job, you have someone to ring who is more likely to give you a straightforward answer.

CV Specialist

This article on interview preparation may be just the thing to help you respond to those difficult, 'Why do want to work here?' questions...

Plastic Scouser

Could anyone share questions they have asked in interviews, and which seemed to go down well?

I have an interview coming up, and while I seem to do ok answering the questions I'm always terrible at coming up with something vaguely intelligent to ask the interviewer at the end!

Your help would be very much appreciated! Thank you

CV Specialist

A question such as, 'How would you describe your company's overall ethos/atmosphere?' tends to go down well in these situations.

The real trick lies in utilising the interviewer's response as a vehicle to describe your unique suitability for the job. For example, if they say, 'We're pretty informal here; we work hard, but try to stay relaxed,' then you might reply with, 'Really? That's always been the kind of environment I thrive in...'

Hope this helps!

JimmySmith

CV Specialist wrote:

A question such as, 'How would you describe your company's overall ethos/atmosphere?' tends to go down well in these situations.

The real trick lies in utilising the interviewer's response as a vehicle to describe your unique suitability for the job. For example, if they say, 'We're pretty informal here; we work hard, but try to stay relaxed,' then you might reply with, 'Really? That's always been the kind of environment I thrive in...'

Hope this helps!

If i got an answer like that i would strike the person off the list on the grounds that they are full of it already.

digitally-yours

JimmySmith wrote:

If i got an answer like that i would strike the person off the list on the grounds that they are full of it already.

I agree