Interview Questions
Table of Contents
So, Do You Have Any Questions?1
n the end, if you are interested in this job, make sure to say so! Your final question should really nail the closer: “I just want to let you know that I am very interested in this opportunity, and hope we can move forward. What are the next steps in the interview process?” Don’t leave without determining what the expectations are for the next steps, and how and when YOU should follow-up. Ask what their timetable is for hiring, and how their hiring process works.
examples
- What's a typical day like for this role? Get an idea for the day to day tasks and initiatives you'll be working on.
- How would you describe the daily work environment / company culture here?
- What characteristics have made your best employees successful here?
- Earlier, you mentioned (blank). Can you tell me a little more about how that works in your department?
- How do you measure success for this role? If the employer doesn't know how to define this it could be good or bad. It could be good because you could potentially be able to shape the success metrics / parameters for them or it could be bad if they simply have no idea how to set you up for success and end up doing it incorrectly.
- How would you describe the culture of the company?
- What opportunities have you had to work with different people and projects during your time at the company?
- What are the current priorities and focus areas at the company?
- What is the current project you're working on?(if interviewer hasn't already told you about it)
- What is one thing you enjoy most and one thing you hate most about working here?
- What are the biggest challenges I will encounter in this role? It's easy to hear the the good stuff about the job. What you want to hear are the issues so you know what you're getting into.
- What is the leadership style like at this company?
- What type of culture has the leadership put in place at the company?
NOT to ask and SHOULD ask2
- What NOT to ask during an interview:
- Don’t ask what the company does, what products they produce, or other basic questions that anyone could find the answers to by simply reading the company’s website. (Do your homework, and don’t sound like an idiot!)
- Don’t ask about compensation, vacation, or benefits. Those are clearly things that fall under the category of “what’s in it for me” — but certainly won’t show what’s in it for the interviewer! On the other hand, if the interviewer brings up the salary issue first, be prepared to address it head on.
- Don’t ask about anything sensitive or negative that you might have read or heard about the company — e.g. recent layoffs, poor financial performance, bad press reports, lawsuits, complaints or any other negative issues you are aware of.
- Don’t ask generic, standard questions that sound as though you found them on a website (like this blog!) and are reciting them from a script. Most savvy interviewers will be able to spot those types of canned questions a mile away, and easily distinguish them from more thoughtful, insightful questions that pertain specifically to their company or the exact position you are interviewing for.
- Don’t ask personal questions about the interviewer’s family, marital status, children, hobbies, political opinions, religious affiliation, etc. Unless you have a prior history with the person, issues like that are totally inappropriate for an interview with someone you just met. (On the other hand, if they bring those things up first then simply follow their lead … but tread carefully with these topics and don’t offer up too much personal information of your own. Try to stay focused on the business at hand.)
- Don’t ask point blank if you are going to get the job. That tends to put the interviewer on the spot, and makes people feel very uncomfortable.
- What you SHOULD ask:
- Ask open-ended questions, as opposed to yes-no questions. “Can you tell me more about …” “What is your opinion of …” The idea is to get the interviewer to talk more — to reveal more information about the company, about the position, about themself and about their expectations. Ideally, you can then use that information to say things that will demonstrate that you truly fit whatever it is they seem to be looking for.
- Take something you learned beforehand about the company, and probe further. Show that you’ve done your homework about the company. Ask specific questions about those things that you learned. Start out with something like “During my research, I read that … I was wondering …” Demonstrating that you’ve read up on the company, and that you are curious and interested can be very impressive!
- Take something discussed during the interview, and probe further. Expand on topics already covered, and ask for more details. This shows that you’ve been paying attention, and that you are curious, interested and eager to learn more.
- Ask about the company’s culture and work environment. Those are issues that tend to be rather abstract, and less likely to be explained on their website. Therefore, they are good topics to ask the interviewer about.
- Ask about what qualities they look for in a successful employee. How can someone succeed and grow within the company? What are the specific goals and expectations for the position you are interviewing for? What do they hope to accomplish — both short and long term — with this hire?
Answering the Salary Question3
“How much did you make at your last job, and what are you looking for now?” It’s a question that comes up sooner or later in nearly every job application and/or interview process, and one that can cause panic and confusion in many job-seekers’ minds.
Or, should you try to dodge that part of the question also, saying things like: ““I need to know more about the position before I can answer that question …” “I’m more interested in the job responsibilities, and not worried so much about numbers at this point …” “Well, it depends on the total package …”
Working with 3rd Party Recruiters
3rd Party Recruiters represent the needs of the client companies who pay their fees … but they also represent their candidates and their needs. If there is a large disconnect between a person’s prior salary history and the range a company has defined for a particular job, it is usually a waste of everyone’s time to pursue that match. Sure, there are exceptions to this – for example, relocation to a place with a very different cost of living. However, I almost always ask every candidate I work with exactly what they made at their previous jobs, and what they need to “make a move” (if they are currently working) or what they are looking for going forward if they are not currently working. If a potential candidate dodges that salary history question or flat out refuses to reveal what their actual income was at their previous jobs, I would simply explain that I can not represent them and move on. Matching candidates to job opportunities is a very complex process — sometimes more of an art than a science. However, certain nuts and bolts information about a candidate (specific skills, years of experience, and yes, salary history) are critical to know at the beginning of that matching process. If someone doesn’t trust their recruiter with such basic information, there would be no basis for a working relationship.
Working with HR Professionals or Company Recruiters
If directly asked what your prior salary history was by a company representative – I say answer the question! Don’t ever lie or exaggerate. (The truth will always come back to bite you!) If the question is part of an online application, you sometimes have the choice of leaving those fields blank (or putting “$1.00,” saying “Negotiable,” etc.) That might work sometimes … but may also be a reason for whoever reviews your application to simply pass on you without ever telling you why. I know … you don’t want your history to “pigeon-hole” you into a low number that is below what you want or need. But there is a risk associated with either way of dealing with it. The bottom line is the same as the answer to #1 above: If there is a large disconnect between a person’s prior salary history and the range a company has defined for a particular job, it is usually a waste of everyone’s time to pursue that match. Sooner or later, you’ll have to reveal your salary history – it’s inevitable. If that information ends up being perceived as a red flag for the company, they’ll want to know up front … not after spending a lot of time with you on phone or inviting you in for face-to-face interviews.
“What salary are you looking for?”
This is probably the toughest question to deal with. Again, I say answer the question! However, give a range – a span anywhere between a $5 and 15K spread is typical – rather than a specific number. It always helps if you know the range that the company has defined for the job you are applying to. Whenever possible, try to get that information beforehand. Barring that, use your common sense, do some research, and try to guess the range based on industry knowledge. The bottom line is: you should know in your mind what number is at the bottom of your acceptable range – the number below which you wouldn’t even consider accepting a job. It’s what you need to pay your bills. The bottom of your stated range should never be below that number. It could be a bit higher, but should also jive with your salary history. (If you are currently working, that low number would logically be slightly higher than your current salary — but not so much higher that you seem greedy. Most potential new employers would expect you to prove yourself before they’ll just hand you a “raise” from day one!) Don’t assume that the lower number you give is the one they’ll focus on and offer you. Most companies will want to pay people somewhere in the middle of both your and their range, and won’t simply low-ball you if they truly want you. If your “middle” and their “middle” overlap, then you’ve hit their sweet spot!
summarize
So, to summarize: I say do not avoid the salary questions. Answer them directly and with as much confidence as you can. You can’t escape from or expect to hide your own salary history. HR people and recruiters will have much more respect for you, and be more willing to engage with you, if you are simply honest with them. Just be prepared to discuss it intelligently, and armed with the best company and industry information you can. If there are extenuating circumstances that explain either why you’ve been underpaid in the past and now desire more, or conversely why you are now willing to take a cut in pay, be prepared to articulate those issues as well.