| Tips |
| • |
Always prepare questions to ask. Having no
questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent
thought process. |
| • |
Some of your questions may be answered during
the course of the interview, before you are offered the opportunity to
ask. If so, you can simply state something to the effect that you were
interested in knowing about ..., but that was addressed during the
interview. You could ask for additional clarification if applicable. |
| • |
Do not ask questions that are
clearly answered on the employer's web site and/or in any literature
provided by the employer to you in advance. This would
simply reveal that you did not prepare for the interview, and you are
wasting the employer's time by asking these questions. |
| • |
Never ask about salary and benefits issues until
those subjects are raised by the employer. |
|
|
| Samples |
| If
you are having trouble developing questions, consider the following
samples as food for thought. However, don't ask a question if you are
not truly interested in the answer; it will be obvious to the employer. |
| • |
What are the company's strengths and weaknesses
compared to its competition? |
| • |
How important does upper management consider the
function of this department/position? |
| • |
What is the organization's plan for the next
five years, and how does this department fit in? |
| • |
Could you explain your organizational structure? |
| • |
How will my leadership responsibilities and
performance be measured? By whom? |
| • |
What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this
job? |
| • |
Could you describe your company's management
style and the type of employee who fits well with it? |
| • |
What are some of the skills and abilities
necessary for someone to succeed in this job? |
| • |
What is the company's policy on providing
seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills
or acquire new ones? |
| • |
What particular computer equipment and software
do you use? |
| • |
What kind of work can I expect to be doing the
first year? |
| • |
What percentage of routine, detailed work will I
encounter? |
| • |
How much opportunity is there to see the end
result of my efforts? |
| • |
Who will review my performance? How often? |
| • |
How much guidance or assistance is made
available to individuals in developing career goals? |
| • |
How much opportunity will I have for
decision-making in my first assignment? |
| • |
Can you describe an ideal employee? |
| • |
What is your organization's policy on transfers
to other cities? |
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