I have been to a number of interviews recently, with positive feedback. However, I am always unsure how to answer the closing question of “Have you got any questions for us?” Do you have any suggestions for questions that will not be perceived to be strictly about the money or too aggressive in nature?
What a great question! This is one of the most important issues facing candidates and yet it remains one of the most overlooked in the job search process. People often forget that, although they are being interviewed, they also owe it to themselves to interview the hiring managers — this is a two-way street after all. It’s vital that you have a list of relevant, intelligent questions for any employment interview, for several reasons:
- You need clarification of details of the position or organization (i.e., What do you feel are the most important factors for success in this position?).
- You need any other proprietary information that you cannot obtain in any other way, in order to make a logical decision on accepting the job if it’s offered (i.e., Can you describe your management style? Why is the position open?).
- It shows to the interviewer that you have done your homework and care enough about the position and organization (not to mention your own career) to have given it some thought, and are taking it seriously enough to gather all the facts before making a decision.
Keep it real
As you point out, this question time is part of the interview proper, so your questions are being evaluated for what they say about you. Therefore it is not wise to lead off with a question about the organization’s sick leave policy or how much vacation is allotted to the first three months of work. The implication could be that since you have asked, it must be important to you, and ergo you may have health problems or a poor work ethic. This is all information you can gather later as part of the offer process, once they’ve decided to hire you.
Give it a bit of thought first
As part of your interview preparation, think about these questions before your interview and write them down for reference when it’s your time to ask questions. Don’t ask questions that are obvious, or to which you could find the answer by doing some simple research. Rather, ask three to seven questions that are the most relevant to you and difficult to find the answers in any other way. Try to keep your questions limited to inquiries that have not already been answered in the interview. Don’t ask about compensation issues such as vacation or benefits until you are being offered the job.
Write it down!
Don’t try to have your questions memorized. You should walk into the interview with a list of three to seven of the most relevant questions you need answered written down in your portfolio. What is relevant? That can depend. If you know about the organization and its culture, perhaps you may want to find out more about the management style of your potential manager, for example. It’s fine to refer to your written questions and even read off your notes. It’s also appropriate to take notes as they speak, although always try to focus on your interviewer. If they have answered a question during the interview, acknowledge that as you review your list.
Typical questions:
- Why is the position open?
- How many people have held this position in the past three years?
- What are the primary reasons for people leaving?
- What is the first problem that would require my attention?
- Why did the person who held this position most recently leave?
- What would you like done differently by the next person who fills this position?
- Could you please describe a typical day?
- What are the three most important skills you are looking for in a candidate?
- How would you describe your management style?
- How is your department viewed by the rest of the organization?
Good Luck!
Mitchell Stephenson M.A., CPCC, is a senior partner and a certified professional career counsellor at Catalyst Careers, a career transition, counselling, and outplacement firm. Mitch has been involved in human resources, career counselling and coaching in the health and legal sectors for many years. To contact him, visit: www.catalystcareers.ca.
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