Interview questions you need to ask

Here are the assumptions I’ve made so you’ll better understand my questions.

That you are not broke and need a job. That you are competent and committed to doing your best.

That you are more selective about where you work than they are in the hiring process.

If they ask you during the interview if you have questions you say, “I’d prefer to answer all your questions, then yes I do have questions.”

Once they’ve asked all their questions, at some point you’ll say, “Is it my turn to ask a question?”

You then say, “So you understand where my questions come from, I’m as committed to the selection process as you are, so I will be forthright with my questions. Is that O.K.?

(Any experienced interviewer will like hearing this.)

If you perceive the interviewer is comfortable with who they are, then you are off to a good start. They don’t want people who are job begging. If you perceive they are insecure in their job, hold off on the tough questions until you get to the decision maker who is secure.

Questions:

• If this person will be your supervisor ask, “What are the specific characteristic of the best report you ever had? (You have a notepad and write the answers down.)
• What actions did they take that you liked? (Write them down)
• What pushes your hot button? (Write them down)
• When someone comes to you complaining about another employee, how do you handle it? (What you don’t want to hear is, “I tell them I’ll take care of it. This means the boss will get in the middle and has no idea of the background. What you want to hear is, “Did you talk to them about your concerns? (If you’re not good at difficult conversations ask the boss for coaching, If the boss isn’t good, many are not, then study up on how to have difficult conversations. Tip, start off with what part of the problem you are.)
• What do you like about the company? (Write them down)
• What can be improved? (Write them down)
• Describe the ideal culture of a company?
• How does the culture here align with what you described?
• What is the turnover rate?
• Do not ask why the last person quit because they will spin the answer instead ask, “Do you have the contact information of the person who last held this job and do I have your permission to contact them?

If they don’t respond well to your questions you can disqualify them. Do you want to work where they aren’t transparent and have trouble dealing with the truth?