Employers do expect you to ask questions during an
interview. In fact, if you do not have some in mind it can raise some serious
doubts about your interest in the job as well as how well organized you are.
Below are some of the questions you might ask as well as some methods of
getting into the position where you can ask them in case you are not offered
the opportunity. It almost goes unsaid that each interview is different
depending on what type of job you are interviewing for as well as the
composition and experience of the interviewers.
1. If you do not
have a job description you should ask for one. A good time to do this could be
when you meet the gatekeeper or Administrative Aide in the outer office or
before you begin the interview. A good way of asking is to simply
ask:"Does a job description exist for this position? And if so, may I see
it?” If there are any uncertainties about the job, this is the time to clarify
them.
If it is not clear, ask: "What are the qualifications
for this job?"
2. What are the
major responsibilities for this position and what are your expectations? It is
important going in to fully understand their needs and what will be expected of
you. A related could be - Beyond the job description, what are your
expectations for this job? How will I be evaluated can go along with this
question.
3. Who will I be
reporting to? You need to know who your supervisor will be in case he/she is
not on the interview team and try to meet this person if possible. It would be
a mistake to leave the interview without knowing/meeting your supervisor.
4. Is there
opportunity for advancement OR What would be the next step in career
progression? If you are not looking to move up they may not see you as the
energetic type of employee they are looking for.
5. If you have not
been provided a handout on company benefits you should ask about health,
insurance, vacation and retirement benefits. Usually this information will have
been provided to you unless it is a very small firm.
6. Another
important question they will expect you to ask is "Will I have the
opportunity for pay increases?
7. Are there
specific aspects or situations that will require immediate attention?
This is a forward-looking question that shows you are on
the ball and have been around. It’s a smart question to ask.
8. Does the
company provide educational opportunities that will enable me to improve my
skills? This is another important question to ask.
9. Is this a new
position or has it been in the organization for a long time? If it is a new
position you may have a lot of latitude and an opportunity to create your own
job description or at least add to it once you get going. It is also at this
point that you could be creative in questioning items on the job description
you have been given that could show your savvy/experience -- this is
situational.
10. What resources
are available to accomplish the job responsibilities you would be assigning me?
This is an excellent question that shows your experience and willingness to
accept the duties expected of you. You are just asking what is there to help
you get the job done.
*
Resources you should expect to be there for you would include: budget (how big
is it and is it a department budget).
*
Clerical support.
* If
appropriate, ask whether you would be supervising others? Ask about your level
of authority?
* What
type of training and experience do employees in the department have? This is
another situational question that you may or may not ask.
* What
type of support will I get from the top in support of my position? This is
another situational question that you may or may not ask.
11. Depending on
the type of position that you are applying for the following are questions that
you might consider asking.
* Can I
meet other people who would be in my department - if you have not already done
so"
* What
is the culture of the company?
* How
would you describe the management style that I will be seeing? *If you are not
certain, ask what the company dress code is.
* To
what extent will I be operating independently? What types of decisions would I
need to seek approval for?
* What
is the most important contribution you would be expecting from me in my first
year or six months?
Bob Raikes NCCC
Career and College Counseling Service