Chapter 19
ASKING YOUR OWN
QUESTIONS
Smart Queries
Most of the words and phrases provided in this book are chosen because they help to define you as a proactive person. What better way to show this side of yourself than to turn the tables and start asking the interviewer some tough questions! You may find that asking questions in an interview can boost your sense of confidence. It’s a subtle reminder that they’re not the only ones making a big decision. You are determining whether this company is a good fit for you. When you ask questions in an interview, you show that you are paying close attention and that you’re a careful decision-maker who gathers information before making a decision.
Prepare four or five questions before the job interview. Pinpoint the kind of information that will help you decide whether you want to work for this employer. Some things to consider: the company’s future plans for growth, its current financial health, rates of employee turnover, levels of job satisfaction among employees, and what your chances for advancement are.
Why the Job Is Open
Q: Why is this job open?
This information will help you understand how you will be received should a job offer be made to you and should you accept it. If the person you will be replacing has left under difficult circumstances, that is, if he was fired or was otherwise forced to leave, his former coworkers may be resentful of anyone who fills his place. If the previous employee was promoted within the company, you taking the job may give you a chance for similar advancement down the line.
Action Speak
| Improvised | Revamped |
| Prepared | Sustained |
| Questioned | Worked |
| Regulated | Yielded |
Q: How many people have held this position in the past three years? Why did they leave?
If there is a high rate of turnover in the position you are interviewing for, you should be suspicious. You should try to find out why this is the case. Is this a difficult employer to work for? Or perhaps the company has expectations that are impossible for employees to meet, and they are fired for not meeting them. If you haven’t already, access your network to find out if anyone has had any experience with this employer.
Q: How will you decide who to hire?
The answer to this question will let you find out if you missed something during the interview. Was there another skill or qualification the employer is seeking that you didn’t get to talk about? By the time you get to ask this question, the interview will be drawing to a close. However, you can still follow up by sending a thank-you letter that will highlight the particular qualifications that you have and the employer is seeking.
Q: When will you make a decision?
If you know when the employer will make a hiring decision, you won’t be left in a state of limbo waiting for the phone to ring. You can call the employer yourself, but it’s best to wait one day after the employer says the decision is going to be made. If you are continuing to interview for other jobs, which you should do until you receive and accept a job offer, you might decide to schedule future interviews after that date, if it is close.
Job Responsibilities
Q: Is there a written job description? May I see it?
You will ask this question simply because you need this information to make an informed decision about whether or not to accept the job.
Q: You mentioned something about a training period. How long is it?
This question indicates your interest in the job and shows that you were listening during the interview. It allows you to get clarification.
Q: Are there any other opportunities for training?
An employee who inquires about training opportunities is willing to learn as much as possible to do a good job.
Q: What types of assignments will I have?
This question indicates that you are interested in the job. It also allows you to learn what you will be doing if you are hired.
RED FLAG!
HOLD OFF ON ASKING any questions about salary, benefits, and vacation time until an official job offer has been made.
Q: What improvements do you want to make here and how can I help you make them?
You will phrase this question the same way you phrased the previous one, allowing the employer to envision you as the person he will hire. It will give you a glimpse into the job and the company’s plans for the future.
Opportunities for Advancement
Q: What does one need to do to advance?
Asking this question shows that you will be a productive employee who is interested in doing the best job possible. You will do what you need to do to move up.
Q: What are the chances for advancement?
Similar in nature to the previous question, this question shows the employer that you are motivated. It also allows you to find out if you will have the opportunity to advance should you work for that employer. That information will help you decide whether to accept a job offer, since you don’t want to languish in the same position for a long time.
Q: How often are performance evaluations conducted and how are the evaluations made?
You will ask this question to learn what working for this company will be like. You may get a sense of how strict the managers are or how closely the staff is monitored. If you are interviewing for a management position, you will get a sense of how much of your time you will spend on evaluation paperwork.
Who Your Supervisor Is
Q: What is the chain of command?
Whenever you ask questions about the inner workings of the company, it indicates to the employer that you are interested in the job.
Q: Who will I be reporting to?
If you find out who your immediate supervisor is, you can try to learn about that person. Don’t forget that you should be gathering information that will help you decide whether to accept an offer if one is made.
Company History and Growth
Q: How long have you worked here?
The person interviewing you is in a job that is probably several steps above the one that you are interviewing for. Given that fact, the answer to this question will indicate how employees typically advance within the company. If the owner of the company is interviewing you, there is no reason to ask this question.
Q: What do you like most about your job with this company?
The interviewer is likely one of the few employees of the company with whom you will have contact before making your decision. See what she has to say about working there. The answer to this question, if the interviewer is honest, will weigh in to your decision about accepting a job offer. As with the previous question, ask this only of employees and not the owner of the company.
Q: How long do most employees stay?
Learning about turnover is a good way to gauge whether employees enjoy working for the employer. A high rate of turnover indicates that most employees aren’t satisfied with their jobs, while a low rate of turnover demonstrates a high level of job satisfaction.
Q: What reason do most employees give for leaving?
The answer to this question expands on the answer to the prior question. Knowing why employees leave the company helps you find out what you may or may not like about working there. Of course, the interviewer may not know the answer to this question or may not be willing to share it.
Green Light It’s likely that you’ll generate more questions during the course of the interview. Don’t be afraid to ask for clarification of anything you didn’t understand.
Q: How has the company grown over the past five years? Is it profitable?
A company’s financial health will help you decide whether to accept a job offer. If the company hasn’t grown over the past five years or if it isn’t profitable, this should signal that it might not be in the best financial health. Should you accept a job offer, you may be looking for work again soon.
Q: What does the company plan to do to keep growing and what role would I play?
The answer to this question will give you information about your prospective employer and the job. You will learn what expectations the employer has for you. By phrasing the question like this, you give the interviewer the chance to picture you in the job he is interviewing you for.
Q: In your opinion, how does this company compare to its major competitors, like Activate, Pump, and Dragon Works?
In preparing for the interview, you should have researched the prospective employer. When you ask this question, you are saying to the interviewer, “Look at the research I’ve done. I know who your competitors are.” The answer to this question will also help you learn more about the company.
Q: From my research, I learned you sell your products both in the United States and Canada. Do you plan to expand into any other markets?
Again you are stating something you uncovered in your research. You are also trying to learn something further about the company.
Q: I know you sell hair-care products. What are the demographics of your customers?
Your reason for asking this question is similar to your reason for asking the prior one. If you have experience with the demographic this company targets, that is something you can talk about in your thank-you letter or in any follow-up interviews.
Q: You mentioned that several of your clients are in the apparel business. What industries are your other clients in?
This question shows you were paying attention during the interview. You also want to learn more about the company’s other clients, which demonstrates your interest in the company.
Endnote: There are a lot of important questions to ask your interviewer before you shake hands and part ways. It is imperative that you are ready for that opportunity when it comes. The quality of your questions will reflect how much you know about the job, the company, and the industry.