Your goal, however, is greater than this: It's to make such a fine impression that you'll have several excellent offers to choose from. To achieve this, you need to take the following steps: (1) ask interviewers intelligent and well-thought-out questions; (2) research a potential employer or the industry the company is in; (3) learn about the person who will be interviewing you; (4) close the interview on a positive note by asking certain questions; and (5) have a good appearance.
Just as there's an effective way to answer questions, there's an appropriate procedure to follow for asking them:
Allow the interviewer to establish the initial tone and make the preliminary inquiries. Once he's done so, ask a question. In a short while, ask another. Let your inquiries gradually build until there's an even exchange of conversation.
If you begin an interview with a barrage of questions, you'll alienate the interviewer. He'll feel that you're trying to usurp his role, and he'll conclude the meeting in short order, eliminating you as a candidate.
Another point is that not all interviewers will react favorably to your asking a lot of questions. The hiring manager and members of his staff will be the most receptive. Representatives from the personnel department will be less so.
The main responsibility of personnel representatives is to decide whether or not you should be referred to the hiring manager. For this reason they often feel that your questions interfere with their evaluation of you.
Your primary objective with personnel representatives should be to assure that they refer you to the hiring manager and don't screen you out. It's therefore best to ask them fewer questions.
Also, confine your questions to the company, since these individuals will seldom have a detailed knowledge of the position.
An exception is when you're being interviewed by a senior member of the personnel department, such as the manager, director, or vice-president. The hiring manager will often look to this individual for guidance in his selection decision, especially about your personal qualities. It's therefore appropriate to ask this per son a number of questions.
Whenever a personnel representative informs you that an appointment will be arranged with the hiring manager, there's a question you should always ask; "Is there anything in particular I should know about the position or this individual?" A personnel representative has a vested interest in seeing the position filled-it's part of his job. In addition, the hiring manager could be putting considerable pressure on him to find the right candidate. As a result, he might give you valuable information, either about certain duties of the position or the type of person the manager wants to hire.
If you find yourself on a second interview with a company, feel free to ask questions that you may have postponed during the first interview due to their sensitive nature. Just as you'll be asked more penetrating questions, you should feel comfortable probing deeper as well.
During second interviews, many companies schedule sessions with several different evaluators, where you will sequentially meet people from the same department or people from different areas of the company. An excellent way to get information about a matter that's troubling you is to ask each person the same set of questions about that issue. The consistency of the responses will be very revealing.
Second interviews are also the appropriate place to ask questions about the organization's personnel policies and corporate culture. Good questions to ask include: "How would you characterize the working environment at this company?" "What do most people like about working for this company? Are there any things that people dislike?" "How does the company differ from other companies in the industry? What is the best thing about it?
What is the worst?" "Have there been any layoffs in the past few years? Any reorganizations? How was this department affected (if appropriate)?" "What is the company's policy regarding performance and salary reviews?" 'Are raises based on a set formula or on an individual's contribution?" "What does the company offer in the area of training and professional development programs?" and "If I wanted to take courses at night, would the company pay for them? Would the company pay for my returning to school to earn an advanced degree?"
If the interviewer volunteers information along these lines during the first interview, it means he's very interested in you. It would then be appropriate for you to follow his lead and ask these kinds of questions at that time.
If you're interviewing with a company that's privately owned, second interviews are also a good place to ask who owns the company and when the company was founded. It's best to defer questions about sales and profitability (in the event that your research didn't uncover this information) until after you've been made the offer.
Research the Company or Its Industry
It's shocking how many job-seekers go on interviews knowing hardly anything about a potential employer. By researching a company or its industry prior to an interview, you'll realize the follow ing benefits:
First, the information acquired through research will enable you to ask insightful and penetrating questions.
Second, when you evidence through conversation that you have researched an interviewer's company, or industry, you'll immediately convey your initiative, motivation, seriousness of purpose, and commitment to your career. All interviewers are impressed with these qualities.
Third, an interviewer will usually ask what you know about his company or why you're interested in working for the organization. Your research will enable you to provide credible responses. Last, the more knowledgeable you are about a potential employer, the more relaxed you'll be during the interview. In turn, you'll project a confident and positive attitude.
