Post by definitelyO on Aug 6, 2012 16:35:58 GMT -5
it depends on if they answered all the interview questions I had prepared before I came to the interview. I always research the company and have a list of questions concerning the position, the company and my potential role.
Things that reflect I know something about the company/position/field.
As a librarian I always ask for typical daily, monthly and yearly circulation; how collection development is handled, the policies regarding program development, if there is a professional development budget, how often the the library upgrades technology, etc. I imagine none of that is useful for you.
I agree with PP. Usually, I'll ask about benefits, company culture, potential promotions, and the interviewers personal experience/history with the company.
eta - I'll also ask about a typical day in the position.
Post by ladybrettashley on Aug 6, 2012 16:44:05 GMT -5
Definitely research their website thoroughly. After that, I always prepare a list of AT LEAST 10 questions in case they answer some of them during the interview. Some of the topics I try to ask about are:
-What the culture is like -Opportunities for development and advancement -What direction the company is headed -How will my role fit the strategic priorities of the company -What a day is like working in that particular job
I like to keep it higher level; it shows you can think about more than just your individual role and have a strategic mindset. It also gives you an opportunity to really engage with the interviewer.
What would my typical day be like? What is the size of the team I would be working with? On average how many XXXXX will I be handling per week/month/year? (I am a recruiter so I always ask how many job requisions I will be responsible for)
Never ask about vaction time, raises, salary, benifits etc.
I always ask why the person I'm replacing left. Assuming that they didn't answer that during the interview of course. I also ask how they would describe the culture.
Money and benefits have been discussed in every interview I've ever had. A very high level discussion but it's never been not discussed.
If they bring it up, it's fine. If at the end of the interview they haven't brought it up, and they're doing the standard "so, any other questions?" I don't think it's a good idea for money/benefits to be the questions. Many companies have policies where only HR can talk about money anyway, so interviewers and hiring managers often can't talk about it in the interview. Best to wait for them to bring it up or wait for the offer.
Interesting. I've always had the opposite experience.
What do you need to know to determine if you would be a good fit? As a hiring manager, I want only to hire someone who wants to work with me and my company.
"Do you have any concerns about me as a candidate for the job?"
I'd be pretty annoyed if someone asked me this. Talk about putting the interviewer on the spot. The point of asking questions is to find out if you are think you are a good fit for the position... ie: are hours flexible? What is a normal day like? What are two good and bad things about working here?
I have used this question in several interviews, and I've never gotten a negative reaction. I ask it at the end, worded along the lines of "do you have any concerns about me as a candidate for this position that I can address while we're here?".
Post by mccallister84 on Aug 6, 2012 17:49:31 GMT -5
If there's anything I really want them to know about me I try to come up with a question that will allow me to communicate that in case it didn't come through in the interview.
What's the one thing you most wish were different about your day-to-day job?
What other companies do you think of as your competitors?
If it's a startup I ask the CEO or founder how much runway they have, and what their plan A/B/C exit strategy is. Anyone who doesn't have an answer between "we take over the world" and "we go belly up" isn't worth working for.
If it's a tech company trying to replace something people do today without computers, I ask something along the lines of "what do you need to do in order to offer something that's better than what they're doing today"? A surprising number of companies haven't thought through what they're doing beyond "it's on the web so it must be better, right?"
Post by sapphireblue on Aug 6, 2012 18:37:54 GMT -5
Lots of good ones already. I especially like Libgirl's since I am a librarian also!
A couple I have used that have helped me get a sense of a place: "What is one thing you really like about working here, and what is one thing you wish were different?"
"What type of personality/working style do you think would be the best fit for your organization?"
Definitely research their website thoroughly. After that, I always prepare a list of AT LEAST 10 questions in case they answer some of them during the interview. Some of the topics I try to ask about are:
-What the culture is like -Opportunities for development and advancement -What direction the company is headed -How will my role fit the strategic priorities of the company -What a day is like working in that particular job
I like to keep it higher level; it shows you can think about more than just your individual role and have a strategic mindset. It also gives you an opportunity to really engage with the interviewer.
I like the bolded questions. I would also ask about training/mentoring. I feel like I was hired at my last job on a whim, and thus never had a true role in the company. It was very frustrating, and boring, since I didn't have enough work to do.
"Do you have any concerns about me as a candidate for the job?"
I always ask this.
If they haven't mentioned it I will ask what the typical day in the position looks like, what kind of work environment it is, why they are looking to fill the position (is it a new position?), etc.
What's a typical day like for this position? Is the position a replacement or due to expansion? What do you like most/best about this job/company? What is your management style (if it's a potential supervisor) What are the next steps in the interview process, and when should I expect to hear something? Do you think I have the qualities you're looking for to advance to the next steps for this position?
I was in an interviewing cycle for administrative positions several years ago and I was told, in very clear language by my mentors, current supervisors (who supported me trying to move up), that I should ask a question or two towards the end of the interview to show my interest, indicate that I had done my research about the school, etc.
At one such interview, the interview was coming to a close and I asked my question (I can't remember exactly what I asked). The response by the principal was (and I quote) "The purpose of the interview is for US to ask YOU questions. The purpose of this interview is NOT for YOU to ask questions of US. This interview is OVER." And she got up from the table and walked out of the room.
I was stunned. The rest of the panel was stunned. I sheepishly collected my bag, said thank you and good bye to the remaining folks, and got the hell out of there.
I still remember that incident like it was yesterday. I regaled my current principal with that story recently and he just sat back in his chair and said, "Wow." I suppose that was the only appropriate response, LOL. I told him this story in her exact voice/mannerisms too...and after the wow, he sat forward in the chair and said, in a side-eye-to-her kind of way, "You realize you sound JUST like her when you tell that story." I told him, yep, the sound of her voice is forever burned and imprinted into my brain.
And of course, she's now the principal at our sister school right down the road so I have to see her several times a year when we do events with them. Awesome, right?