Questions to Ask Interviewers
Mike Woginrich, Campus Relations Representative for Mervyn's California, says:
"Candidates should ask as many questions as they can. [Taking a job] is a big life decision and they need to know as much as possible about the organization, just as the organization wants to learn about them during the interview."
A few key principles about asking questions:
Ask only those questions to which you want an answer. This may seem obvious, but many people will ask questions merely to impress the interviewer. Why waste your time and theirs when they are likely to see through your smoke-screen?
Ask questions that reveal the depth of your research and your interest in the job. In other words, don't ask questions that are easily answered on the company Web site or in the job description. (You do have a copy of the job description, don't you?)
Don't ask questions about salary, vacation, or other benefits until you are offered the job.
If you do ask, the interviewer will be inclined to think that you are more interested in the money than in the position. (There are exceptions to this rule - for, instance, if you already have experience in this field and need to know if the job falls within your acceptable salary range.) Take a look at Richard Fein's "Rogue's Gallery of 16 Awful Questions."
Some sample questions:
How and when will my performance be evaluated on this job? How is success measured in this department / organization?
I read in your literature that your training program comprises three six-month rotations. Does the employee have any input into where he will go at the end of each rotation? How do you evaluate the employee's performance during the training period?
I read in Business Week that a major competitor of yours is increasing its market share in your main market. What plans does your firm have to regain its lost market share?
Can you please tell me how your career has developed at this organization? Would someone entering the firm today have similar opportunities?
What is an average week in this job really like?
Does the management encourage the policy of promotion from within the organization?
Describe typical first year assignments on the job.
What are the challenging facets of the job?
What are the organization's plans for future growth or change?
What makes your firm, hospital, school system, ad agency, etc. different?
What are the organization's strengths, and what challenges does it face?
How would you describe your organization's personality and management style?
What are your expectations for new hires within their first three to six months on the job?
Describe the work environment.
What is the overall structure of the department where the position is located?
What qualities are you looking for in your new hires?
What characteristics does a successful person have in your organization?
Nursing candidates may wish to ask about orientation, promotions, shift differentials, chain of command, malpractice policies.
Education candidates may wish to ask about in-service training and opportunities for professional development; textbook selection procedures; approaches to curricula; parental involvement in school-related issues or PTA; median age/turnover of faculty; master's degree requirements.