| Questions to ask employers
during interviews |
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An interview is a two-way street. Ask questions.
The employer should provide an opportunity for you to ask questions
at or near the end of the interview. |
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| On this page: |
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Tips |
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Samples |
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| Tips |
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Always prepare questions to ask. Having
no questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent
thought process. |
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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. |
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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. |
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Never ask about salary and benefits
issues until those subjects are raised by the employer. |
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| 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. |
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What are the company's strengths and
weaknesses compared to its competition? |
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How important does upper management
consider the function of this department/position? |
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What is the organization's plan for
the next five years, and how does this department fit in? |
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Could you explain your organizational
structure? |
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How will my leadership responsibilities
and performance be measured? By whom? |
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What are the day-to-day responsibilities
of this job? |
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Could you describe your company's management
style and the type of employee who fits well with it? |
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What are some of the skills and abilities
necessary for someone to succeed in this job? |
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What is the company's policy on providing
seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their
skills or acquire new ones? |
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What particular computer equipment
and software do you use? |
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What kind of work can I expect to be
doing the first year? |
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What percentage of routine, detailed
work will I encounter? |
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How much opportunity is there to see
the end result of my efforts? |
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Who will review my performance? How
often? |
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How much guidance or assistance is
made available to individuals in developing career goals? |
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How much opportunity will I have for
decision-making in my first assignment? |
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Can you describe an ideal employee? |
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What is your organization's policy
on transfers to other cities? |
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| Also
see: |
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Typical interview format |
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Interview attire |
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Sample questions |
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Sample questions for teaching
candidates |
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Behavioral interviewing |
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Interview DOs & DON'Ts |
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Researching employers
— why and how |
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Responding to salary questions |
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On-site interviews |
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Dining
Etiquette |
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Interview expenses |
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After
your interviews / follow up / thank-you letters |
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The
Mock Interview Program |
