Questions To Ask Your Interviewer

An interview is a two-way conversation between you and the interviewer. That means that you are not only expected to answer questions, but are also to ask them.

Don’t treat this lightly: The interviewer can tell a lot about you by the questions you ask. For example, general questions that can be answered through the most cursory research (What products do you make? How long has the company been in business?) suggest a lack of interest on your part, and that’s going to count against you. (After all, you didn’t care enough to check out the organization’s web site.)

On the other hand, thoughtful questions demonstrate your interest and show you have taken the time to do your research. You’ll score points with your interviewer by asking such questions.

Your questions should be based on the specific organization and job, but here are a few to get you started. (And, before you plan to weave these into your conversation, make sure they are not answered on the company’s web site.)

1. What do you do in a typical work day? In a typical week?
   This is a question to ask a hiring manager. It shows you are interested in life on the job in the organization.

2. Why did you choose to work for this company?
   You can pose this question to a recruiter or hiring manager; this gives the person a chance to “sell” the company and gives you insight into why someone would want to work for the organization.

3. How would you describe your company culture?
   This question provides you and the interviewer or hiring manager with another opportunity to determine if you and the company are a good match for each other.

4. What is the natural career progression for employees with my skill set?
   This question shows that you are thinking about the future and hope to stay with the company.

5. Does this organization have a mentor or coaching program?
   This illustrates that you are interested in being the best employee you can be.

6. What kind of internal and external training do you provide?
   Again, this type of question illustrates your desire to excel in the job.

7. If I’m hired, in which area of your organization might I work?
   If you’ve learned about the company’s various divisions through your research, incorporate that knowledge into the question to show your interest.

National Association of Colleges and Employers-Job Choices 2010      www.jobweb.com

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