Step Five Interview: Questions

When you go to a job interview, remember that you need to size up the employer and the work situation. Just as the employer tries to decide whether to make a commitment to you, you must decide whether to commit to the employer. Your questions help you make that decision. They also show your interest in the job.

Questions To Ask

Plan to ask a few questions that really matter to you. Here are some suggestions:

• What are the top two expectations you have of the person coming into this position?
  
  
• If I were selected for this position, which training courses would I attend during my first six months?
  
  
• How does this company retain employees?
  
  
• Please describe an ideal employee.
  
  
• What skills are needed to perform this job?
  
  
• How do you measure and review performance?
  
  
• Please describe a typical day / week on this job.
  
  
• What are the best and worst aspects of this job?
  
  
• How long do people usually stay in this position?
  
  
• Why did the last person leave this position?
  
  
• How does this position fit in the organization?
  
  
• How many employees are in this department?
  
  
• How long have you worked here?
  
  
• What is the company culture here?
  
  
• What projects would the person in this position be working on over the next several months?
  
  
• What are the next steps after our meeting?
  
  
• When will you make your decision?

Questions Not To Ask

At all costs, DON'T ask anything about:

• benefits, including holiday time, sick time and vacation time
  
  
• salary or stock options
  
  
• items already answered in the interview
  
  
• information you should already know from basic research

Finally, don't ask too many questions and thus take over the interview! Select several that seem most pertinent to the job.