Great Interview Questions Make a Great Interview!
An interview too often consists of a potential employer “interviewer” reading or running through a list of questions while the potential employee “interviewee” responds to each question, stops, and waits for the next. In this type of interview it is presumed that the interviewer learns a lot about the interviewee, but often the interviewee learns very little about the interviewer, very little about the company and very little about the position.
Maybe at the end of the conversation the interviewer asks “do you have any questions?”, which you should certainly take advantage of, but there is always the feeling that you’re pushing the interviewers patience with the time now being consumed and generally, after a few questions, it’s hard to feel comfortable continuing to ask more.
The ideal interview is a 2-way-street, the interviewer asks a question or two and the interviewee asks a question or two. Both parties are learning about each other throughout the interview and in the aggregate the interview and interviewee spend equal time questioning and answering. The interviewer can invite this type of interview by inviting the interviewee to interject throughout the interview if they have any questions. The interviewee can also come prepared with their questions, in advance, and will find it easier to answer a question and then ask one of their own.
The interviewee will feel more empowered in the interview, much more an equal. They will learn more about the company, the position and the interviewer and they can use that information throughout the interview to help sell themselves and their qualifications to the interviewer. The interviewer, in turn, will sense the interviewee’s confidence, and will recognize the business acumen and analytical skills that go into the interviewee’s questions and will make the connection that someone that interviews with confidence and asks great questions will stand out on the job as well as they are standing out among other interviewees.
Probing questions, well conceived to bring out the important information about the company and the position, will also demonstrate to the potential employer that the interviewee has enthusiasm and is interested in the role. Since the employer is also being “interviewed” at the same time that they are “interviewing” you, they will also have the feeling that you are a more selective prospect, not just looking for the first job to come along, but prepared to go after the right job with the right organization. They’ll recognize that you are a potential employee worth “going after”.
A good strategy is to spend some time prior to the interview structuring a list of at least 25 questions that you might want to ask on the interview. Make some of those questions about the position, some about the composition and responsibilities of the team, some about the management style of the organization, some questions about the overall department and how it fits into or is perceived by the rest of the organization, some questions about the company’s success, directions that the company is headed, and the marketplace in which competes. By asking questions on all of these different levels, you will demonstrate to the employer that you are looking at the big picture and have an understanding that you are not just interviewing for a “job” but instead for a position that has impact on the success of the overall organization.
I suggest that you don’t necessarily walk into the interview with the list of questions, it’s better to have reviewed and improved them in the days prior to the interview and have them in your head. If you read from a list, there’s a tendency to lose eye contact with the interviewee and your questions aren’t as likely to be flowing with the current topics being discussed in the interview. Preparing the list ahead of time and then leaving the list in the car gives the impression of spontaneity and keeps the questions more relevant. If you forget some, that’s OK, you can use them in your second interview or other follow-up with the employer.
I do not recommend, in most situations, asking questions that have to do with “comfort” issues. Work hours, parking places, cubicle size, and benefits, would all be questions that can wait until the employer is offering the position or you are much later in the process. If you’re asking questions about what’s in it for you, they should relate not to personal comfort issues, but to career growth issues. Don’t ask about minor things you want from them, but what you have to do to prove yourself in the position and what kind of opportunity there is for growth. And growth is not just promotions, but also, more importantly, increases in responsibility and ability to impact the organization and contribute to its success. Promotions naturally follow those contributions.
Here are a few suggested questions, use the content ideas of the questions, but modify them and change the verbiage to make them comfortable for you:
1. What common denominators do the most successful members of your team share?
This question lets you find out what characteristics and capabilities are the most important to the interviewer and allows you the opportunity to compare yourself to those common denominators in the interview.
2. What would I need to accomplish in the first six months in the position for you to feel I was progressing successfully?
This will help you to know what the expectations for the position are and demonstrates to the employer that your goal is to make yourself successful in the position as quickly as possible.
3. What competitive advantages do you think “____” (their company) has over its competitors?
It’s good to understand the potential employer and its position in the marketplace. It’s also great to demonstrate your interest in the overall company success and that it’s not just about you.
4. What challenges do you think the company faces to continue to be successful?
Don’t shy away from asking questions that might draw out the hurdles, challenges, and downside of an opportunity. It shows confidence to be able to tactfully ask these things and is good for your own security to be aware of the real story. Especially good as a follow-up question to the previous one as it will demonstrate some continuity in your questioning and show that you can dig for the “big picture”.
5. What is the biggest challenge that faces “____” (their department) in the coming year?
This will help you to really grasp their highest priorities and help you to sell your ability to contribute to those priorities.
Please come back to my blog in coming weeks for more sample questions. Also, feel free to add you own questions and tips as “comments” here. Good luck on your next interview!
Tags: Career Advice, Interview Questions, Interviewing Questions Advice, Tough Interviews
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