Questions to Ask an Interviewer

As an interview starts to conclude, there's usually a moment where the interviewer asks, "Do you have any questions for me?" According to Yahoo, the correct answer to this question is, "Yes, I do." Why? Because they say asking questions shows that you're interested in the job and it also gives you a chance to show how knowledgeable you are about the position and the industry. Finally, it lets you highlight why you're the perfect candidate.

So what questions should you ask? Yahoo breaks them into four groupings depending on the type of interviewer you have. Here's their list of great questions to ask the various people who may be interviewing you:

Some questions to ask the recruiter:

• How would you describe the company culture?
• What type of employees tend to excel at this company?
• Can you tell me more about the interview process?

Some questions to ask the hiring manager:

• What are the most important skills for the job?
• How would you describe your ideal candidate?
• What's a common career path at the company for someone in this role?

Some questions to ask a senior manager or executive:

• How do you think this industry will change in the next five years?
• What do you think gives this company an edge over its competitors?
• What's the company's biggest challenge? How is it planning to meet that challenge?

Some questions to ask a potential coworker:

• What's a typical day like in the department?
• How would you describe the work environment at the company?
• What's the most enjoyable part of your job? What's the most challenging part?

Personally, my favorite question to ask is something along the lines of, "Are there any concerns you have that make you feel like I'm not the best candidate for this position?" If they say "no", then they've basically admitted that you're the best candidate for the job. If they say "yes", then ask what their concerns are, then address a response to them as to why those concerns aren't valid (in a nice way, of course.) Use examples from your past to show, for instance, that you're organized if they say your organizational skills are a question to them.

Once you get done answering, ask if this addresses their concerns. If so, ask if there are any other concerns they have. If not, move on to other questions (like the ones above.) If they have more or this answer doesn't address the problem for them, then cover each issue until they have no remaining concerns.

This process doesn't always work, but at least it gives you a fighting chance to change opinions that may ultimately keep you from getting the job. Without your counter-points in these cases, it's likely that an offer won't come your way. So what do you have to lose?

Comments

[m]

I just used your "is there any reason you wouldn't hire me for this position" question and the answer was a resounding "NO!". I got the job (its a 30% pay increase) and I am thrilled to bits. Just thought I'd let you know that this REALLY works :)

[FMF]

m --

So glad to hear it!!! Congrats!!!!!!

[Matt H]

"Asking questions shows that you're interested in the job and it also gives you a chance to show how knowledgeable you are about the position and the industry. Finally, it lets you highlight why you're the perfect candidate." All true, but there's another reason to ask questions: to get the answers! Unless you're desperate for a job, any job, you could make a big mistake taking a job if something about it is a bad fit for you.

Here are some of the questions I recommend in each category:

Recruiter/HR person:
What health plans are offered, and what are the costs of each to the employee? Are family plans offered, or individual only?
How does the retirement plan work, what are the matching levels, what are the fees, and who services the plan?
How much paid leave is there per year, and how does it accrue? Is is possible to go in the hole on leave?

Hiring manager:
Is this a new position, or filling a position that was vacated by someone else?
What would my day-to-day responsibilities be? What do you hope to have me accomplish in the next 1-2 years?
What do you hope my role will be within the team?
If I receive tasks from multiple people, who do I go to in order to settle my priorities, you?
What is your background? (Look for evidence that your boss-to-be knows what he's managing. Especially crucial in technical fields.)
What do you think of the company, compared with other places you've worked?
Can you give me some examples—both positive and negative—of unique or even bizarre things you've noticed about the corporate culture here?
Will the company pay for training for me?
With the people you manage, how do you promote good work/life balance? Is working from home occasionally an option?
Will I be required to travel? If so, how often, for how long, and how far?

Senior manager/executive:
Where does your department fit into the overall organization?
How does my position fit into the company's mission?
Can you give me an example of one or two things you wish the company or division did better in terms of the service it provides to external customers?
Can you give me an example of one or two things you wish worked better internally within the company?
For someone starting from the position I'm interviewing for, what opportunities for career advancement exist? More concretely, imagine I'm still here in five years, and all that time I've been doing excellent work. What might my title and job description be, and how much could I realistically be getting paid?

Potential co-worker (reports to same supervisor):
Do you like working for the boss?
What is his/her management style like? Does he or she tend to micro-manage?
Does the boss know what he or she is doing?
How receptive is the boss to ideas from his/her subordinates?
Overall, what do you think of the company, as compared with other places you've worked?
Do you feel you have good opportunities to learn and progress in your career here?
Do people tend to stick around here, or is turnover a problem?
How well does the company do at rewarding good performance with promotions and pay raises, compared with other places you know about? Can you get ahead by working hard and being smart, or do the best people have to leave and come back to advance?
What don't you like about working here?
What do you think of the benefits here? Without divulging too much personal information, have you had good experiences with the health and dental insurance, for instance? How about the retirement plan?

[The David]

Here is the ultimate question (well, I guess the 2nd ultimate question...) to ask an interviewer.

"If you could go back 5 years, what piece of advice would you give yourself to improve your experience at [insert company name]?".

EVERY time I've asked that, the other person has said "Wow...that's a good question."

It forces them to think, and also gives you insight into some of their regrets (and favorite things) from when they've been working.