Questions to Ask the Interviewer
Questions to Ask the Interviewer
Although they don’t require great acting ability to deliver, asking appropriate questions demonstrates your interest in the job. It also gives you the opportunity to lead the interviewer
into your strongest areas.
Your questions and the interviewer’s answers shouldn’t exceed 10 percent of the total interview time. Because you don’t know how long the interview will last, just ask a question
after you have answered around nine of them. Don’t sit there writing tally marks on your resume, just mentally keep track. If you ask two questions, wait a little longer before you ask about something else.
Questioning must be done naturally at opportune times, and in a nonthreatening manner. No question should be asked unless you are certain the answer will make you appear interested, intelligent, and qualified.
Proper questioning helps you align your answers to the areas
the interviewer considers significant. It also gives you feedback to check your alignment. Listen for company and industry buzzwords to use as the interview progresses. Above all, don’t interrupt or argue with the interviewer. You’re asking
only to be able to play to your audience more effectively, not to rate or berate it.
The average applicant talks about 85 percent of the time during an interview. That’s why average applicants don’t get hired. They’re amateur solo acts with monotonous monologues
who nervously bang their gums on the interviewer’s drums. Then both of them march out the door together, and only the interviewer returns
Applicants who get hired zip the lip 50 percent of the time. This is one of the most accurate indicators of whether an offer will be extended—and you can control it.
Use questions as zippers to help you. Don’t ask personal, controversial, or negative questions of any kind. Stay away from asking anything that will lead into sensitive areas. Invariably,
salary and benefits should be avoided—I’ve shown you how to answer properly the interviewer’s questions about them.
Here are examples of benign questions that have a favorable
impact, adapted from The Placement Strategy Handbook.
SCRIPT
1.How many employees does the company have?
2.What are the company’s plans for expansion?
3.How many employees does the department have?
4.Is the department a profit center?
5.Does the department work separately from other departments?
6.Are the functions of the department important to senior management?
7.Is the relationship between the department and senior management favorable?
8.What is the supervisor’s management style?
9.What is the supervisor’s title?
10.To whom does the supervisor report?
11.Are you ready and able to hire now?
12.How long will it take to make a hiring decision?
13.How long has the position been open?
14.How many employees have held the position in the past five years?
15.Why are the former employees no longer in the position?
16.How many employees have been promoted from the position in the past five years?
17.What does the company consider the five most important duties of the position?
18.What do you expect the employee you hire to accomplish?
BENEFITS QUESTIONS
Though, of course, you will need—and have a right—to ask the following questions, the key is knowing when to do so. Under no circumstances do you want to spring these questions
on the interviewer early in your conversation; doing so will make it seem as if you were more interested in what the company can do for you, when at this juncture what you want to get across is what you can do for the company.
The best advice for raising these questions is to have them firmly in mind so that you can ask them at the appropriate times during the interview. And if you’ve followed all the advice
so far in the book, you will know when these times are. In general, however, many of these questions will probably be part of
the salary negotiation process
1. What type of medical insurance benefits
program does the company offer? Is more
than one type of program available?
[Be sure to follow the first question with questions 2 and 3.]
2.What is the extent of the coverage of the
program [or various programs, if more than
one]?
3.Does the company pay for the coverage in
whole, or must the employee contribute? If
the latter, what percentage?
4.What is the sick leave policy?
5.What is the vacation benefit for this position?
6.Is it possible to join a retirement plan? If so, is it contributory or noncontributory?
7.Does the company have a profit-sharing plan? Is documentation of its payout history available?
8.Is there a 401(k) plan? If so, how is it
structured?
9.Are there other savings or investment
programs employees can choose from?
10.Will the company arrange for and pay for my moving expenses?
11.[In the case of a homeowner] Will the company assist in the sale of my current home and the search and purchase of my new home? Does the company reimburse closing costs on these transactions?
12.[In the case of a renter] If my landlord is unwilling to release me from the time remaining on my lease, will the company assume the balance of the monthly payments for the extent of the lease?
13.Will the company help with real estate loans, if necessary? If so, under what terms?
Although they don’t require great acting ability to deliver, asking appropriate questions demonstrates your interest in the job. It also gives you the opportunity to lead the interviewer
into your strongest areas.
Your questions and the interviewer’s answers shouldn’t exceed 10 percent of the total interview time. Because you don’t know how long the interview will last, just ask a question
after you have answered around nine of them. Don’t sit there writing tally marks on your resume, just mentally keep track. If you ask two questions, wait a little longer before you ask about something else.
Questioning must be done naturally at opportune times, and in a nonthreatening manner. No question should be asked unless you are certain the answer will make you appear interested, intelligent, and qualified.
Proper questioning helps you align your answers to the areas
the interviewer considers significant. It also gives you feedback to check your alignment. Listen for company and industry buzzwords to use as the interview progresses. Above all, don’t interrupt or argue with the interviewer. You’re asking
only to be able to play to your audience more effectively, not to rate or berate it.
The average applicant talks about 85 percent of the time during an interview. That’s why average applicants don’t get hired. They’re amateur solo acts with monotonous monologues
who nervously bang their gums on the interviewer’s drums. Then both of them march out the door together, and only the interviewer returns
Applicants who get hired zip the lip 50 percent of the time. This is one of the most accurate indicators of whether an offer will be extended—and you can control it.
Use questions as zippers to help you. Don’t ask personal, controversial, or negative questions of any kind. Stay away from asking anything that will lead into sensitive areas. Invariably,
salary and benefits should be avoided—I’ve shown you how to answer properly the interviewer’s questions about them.
Here are examples of benign questions that have a favorable
impact, adapted from The Placement Strategy Handbook.
SCRIPT
1.How many employees does the company have?
2.What are the company’s plans for expansion?
3.How many employees does the department have?
4.Is the department a profit center?
5.Does the department work separately from other departments?
6.Are the functions of the department important to senior management?
7.Is the relationship between the department and senior management favorable?
8.What is the supervisor’s management style?
9.What is the supervisor’s title?
10.To whom does the supervisor report?
11.Are you ready and able to hire now?
12.How long will it take to make a hiring decision?
13.How long has the position been open?
14.How many employees have held the position in the past five years?
15.Why are the former employees no longer in the position?
16.How many employees have been promoted from the position in the past five years?
17.What does the company consider the five most important duties of the position?
18.What do you expect the employee you hire to accomplish?
BENEFITS QUESTIONS
Though, of course, you will need—and have a right—to ask the following questions, the key is knowing when to do so. Under no circumstances do you want to spring these questions
on the interviewer early in your conversation; doing so will make it seem as if you were more interested in what the company can do for you, when at this juncture what you want to get across is what you can do for the company.
The best advice for raising these questions is to have them firmly in mind so that you can ask them at the appropriate times during the interview. And if you’ve followed all the advice
so far in the book, you will know when these times are. In general, however, many of these questions will probably be part of
the salary negotiation process
1. What type of medical insurance benefits
program does the company offer? Is more
than one type of program available?
[Be sure to follow the first question with questions 2 and 3.]
2.What is the extent of the coverage of the
program [or various programs, if more than
one]?
3.Does the company pay for the coverage in
whole, or must the employee contribute? If
the latter, what percentage?
4.What is the sick leave policy?
5.What is the vacation benefit for this position?
6.Is it possible to join a retirement plan? If so, is it contributory or noncontributory?
7.Does the company have a profit-sharing plan? Is documentation of its payout history available?
8.Is there a 401(k) plan? If so, how is it
structured?
9.Are there other savings or investment
programs employees can choose from?
10.Will the company arrange for and pay for my moving expenses?
11.[In the case of a homeowner] Will the company assist in the sale of my current home and the search and purchase of my new home? Does the company reimburse closing costs on these transactions?
12.[In the case of a renter] If my landlord is unwilling to release me from the time remaining on my lease, will the company assume the balance of the monthly payments for the extent of the lease?
13.Will the company help with real estate loans, if necessary? If so, under what terms?
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