Questions to ask prospective employers during interview
Questions You Can Ask - a partial list
Remember, you are expected to find out as much about the company as possible before the interview,
but you may not have been able to find the answers to these questions, or you may need clarification.
Q. What are your expectations for the person you hire?
Q. Which specific skills are necessary to succeed in this job?
Q. How do my skills, experience and education differ from those of the ideal candidate?
Q. What level of input would I have in determining my objectives and deadlines?
Q. What kinds of projects might I be working on?
Q. Why do you like working for this company?
Q. What level of client contact should I expect?
Q. Would you describe the typical training program?
Q. How is the company structured in terms of departments or divisions?
Q. Would I work for more than one person?
Q. Please describe the travel involved in this position.
Q. How often is relocation required for advancement opportunities?
Q. What are the advancement opportunities for this position and the typical time frame for
advancements?
Q. What type of new products is the organization developing?
Q. Is there a possibility that this organization might be sold or acquired by another organization in the
near future? If so, how would it affect the present employees?
Q. What are your policies regarding continuing education for employees?
Q. Is there a tuition reimbursement policy?
Q. Would there be an increase in salary after completion of a higher degree? Would it make
advancement easier?
Q. What are some of the biggest challenges facing your company and your plans for meeting them? or
better yet,
Q. While researching your company, I read that one of your challenges is xxx....How do you plan to meet
this challenge?
Q. Who are your major competitors? How does your company compare to them?
Q. What are your plans for expansion in the next few years?
Q. Is this a new position? If it is, why was it created? If it isn't, does the company have more than one
opening?
Q. I am very interested in this position, what is the next step? (Do not leave the interview without
knowing the answer to this question).
From Brockport.edu
To conduct a job analysis the job seeker should ask questions such as:
1. What are the necessary skills to do this job?
2. What makes a successful candidate?
3. What would make an unsuccessful candidate?
4. Why have people left this position previously?
5. What is the most difficult part of this job?
Most people know that they should prepare job interview questions to ask the employer after an
interview. However, many people really worry about this part of the job interview process.
At some point in a job interview, most employers will ask if you have any questions.
The problem many people face at this stage of the job interview is that before the interview, they
prepared a couple of job interview questions to ask the employer, but by the time they get to the
end of the interview, either the employer has answered their questions, or they were so nervous
during the interview they completely forget their questions.
There is a very easy solution to this problem.
Write them down. Write a list of five or more job interview questions to ask the employer. Type
your list out neatly, and bring your list to the job interview.
When the employer says, "So do you have any questions for me?" You can simply say, "Yes, I
do. I've prepared a few. I have them right here." Then pull out your list of questions.
Writing a list of job interview questions to ask the employer eliminates the need to memorize
your questions before the interview. You don't have to worry about forgetting them, because
you'll have the list right there.
Writing a list of five or more questions ensures that you'll have at least one or two questions left
that the employer did not answer during the interview. Keep in mind, although you will have
prepared five or more questions to ask, you will probably not actually ask all of your questions
(you've only prepared that many to cover yourself in case the employer answers a lot of your
questions during the interview). The employer has probably left enough time for you to ask one
or two questions.
Clients are always amazed when I tell them to bring a list of questions into the interview. It's not
cheating to bring a list of questions to a job interview; you do not have to memorize them. When
you pull out your list of interview questions, the employer will see that you are well prepared,
organized and interested in the job.
What are the best job interview questions to ask an employer during an interview?
Keep in mind, at this stage of the interview process you are still working to show the employer
that you are the best candidate for the job. Good interview questions are focused on helping you
to learn more about the job; they are not focused on your own needs.
Interview questions to avoid:
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How many vacation days do I get?
What about sick leave?
What day is pay day?
Asking questions that are focused on your needs is a very common interview mistake. Don't
worry, if the employer hasn't already provided those details, you will get that information before
you accept the job. Even if the employer has not discussed salary and benefits in the interview,
now is not the time to ask those kinds of questions.
Do ask questions that further highlight your skills and show that you have a genuine interest in
the job.
Great Interview Questions to Ask an Employer:
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What are the most important things you'd like me to accomplish in the first three months
if I am hired for this position?
How is performance typically measured and reviewed?
How do you see my skills and experience fitting with the needs of your company? (This
question can cause employers to review the reasons why you're a great fit for the
company, which is exactly what you want them thinking about when you leave the
interview.)
Is there anything at all that you'd like me to clarify for you? (This is one of the best
interview questions to ask an employer. It is helpful because it will bring up any lingering
questions the employer may have about your qualifications. If the employer feels you
haven't expanded enough on a particular skill set, you'll get a chance to do so before you
leave the interview.)
When do you expect to be making a hiring decision?
May I follow up with you to find out your decision?
May I have your business card? (When you have the employer's business card, you will
have all of the contact information you need to follow up and to write a great thank you
note after the interview.)
Of all of the job interview questions to ask an employer, never ever leave a job interview without
asking if it's o.k. to follow up. At this point in the hiring process, it's perfectly reasonable in most
situations to expect some type of follow up whether you get the job or not. Asking if it's o.k. to
follow up yourself gives you a bit of power in the process so you won't have to sit and wait for
the employer to call you.
Navigator:
Questions to ask potential employer:
Would you mind telling me a little about yourself and why you’ve been successful here?
What do you really like about working here? Is there anything you would like to change?
Is there anything about my skills and experience, or anything I have said, that cause you concern about
me being a fit for this job?
What are the next steps in the interview process?