To perform exceptionally well in a job interview, the job candidate has to be prepared. The best way to do that is to put together a list of possible interview questions, then have mock interviews, where you video record your responses to dissect later. In the series on Answers to 7 Common Interview Questions, here is a possible response to “What questions do you have for me?” Let’s start off by saying that it’s unacceptable to say you do not have any questions for the interviewer. During a job interview, it’s a conversation. The employer is checking you out and you should be doing the same thing.
As a rule, do not ask about salary and benefits until an offer is made, or if the hiring managers specifically opens that door. Don’t expect to ask all 15 questions because not only would that be overkill, but there wouldn’t be enough time to do that. A better approach is to think about the position that you are interviewing for, what information would you like to know that you cannot find elsewhere?
These days with the prominence that social media plays in our lives, it is very easy to find information on organizations and the people that work there. Although, you will find 15 sample questions to practice with, in the interview, perhaps you could focus on the following four questions if they make sense for the position that you are applying for.
What particular achievements would equate to success at this job? What would success look like?
What are three key things that really drive results for the company?
Corporate culture is very important, but it’s usually hard to define until one violates it. What is one thing an employee might do here that would be perceived as a violation of the company’s culture?
In the recent past, how has the company acknowledged and rewarded outstanding performance?
The above questions to ask the interviewer work because you need to know what success looks like for the company and for yourself, so you know which direction to take. These days, as more people are moving toward having career conversations, it’s fair game to understand how you will be rewarded for stellar performance. And in every organization, there are many unwritten rule. These are hard to figure out because they are unwritten, so it’s best to ask the question, so you know what behaviors to avoid.
This article is contributed by Right Management, www.rightmanagement.sg, the global career experts within the ManpowerGroup.