Job Seeker’s (57) Interview Questions for the Interviewer

Interviewers are more impressed with questions you ask them versus any selling points you try to make about yourself.  Create questions before each interview you can pose to the interviewer(s) during the process.  Either interject the questions throughout the interview or ask them after they are finished with their questions of you.   Prepare your questions by starting with ‘What or How.’

Limit your use of ‘Why’ questions – these force the interviewer to defend or justify a decision or condition.  Be specific as possible when relating or referring to the company and industry when asking questions.  Each sample question is directed at business conditions and challenges.

Do not inquire about “What can you get.” For example, questions such as “How much vacation time do new employees get?” or “How much sick time off do I get?” These questions send the message you are more interested in what you can get rather than what you can do for the company.  Those should be asked later during the compensation and salary negotiations versus during the interview process itself unless the conversation steers that way at the end.  If the interviewer starts to ask compensation questions before you have satisfied your answers to your own interview questions, let them gently know you are still seeking a little more information about the company and continue.

Unique Questions

(listed in no unique order)

1. Am I replacing a person being promoted, is leaving the company, or are they being moved to a position that suites them better?
2. Are promotions based on seniority or accomplishments?
3. Are there any plans for a corporate merger or outsourcing of services or departments? Are there any plans to ‘outsource’ functions (of this job or department) in the future?
4. Are there any restraints or cutbacks planned that would decrease the department or company budget?
5. Are there any weaknesses in the department you are working to improve?
6. Could you describe your typical management style and the type of employee that works well with you?
7. Could you tell me about the way the job has been performed in the past? What were the negative and positives about the position tasking and responsibilities?  What are the positives (or any negatives) about the incumbent and the outcome of their responsibilities?
8. Describe a problem you are facing in the department, one that you’d want me to tackle if I am hired? Would this be an ‘under-cover’ job or an ‘open’ team effort?
9. Describe the three top challenges the new hire will face in this position and why are they challenges? Why hasn’t the person in the current position solved them, if feasible or practical?
10. What is your honest confidence level in my capabilities discussed to recommend I be considered? How closely do my qualifications match the requirements for this position?
11. How big is the HR department; are there plans to expand what is offered to EE’s (i.e., T&D, proposal writing, skills database, etc.)
12. How do employees within the company feel about the HR (finance, contracts, etc. – where the position is) department?
13. How do you feel my style will compliment the team culture?
14. How does the company promote personal and professional growth? Is tuition reimbursement or paid training part of the company perks or benefits?
15. How many EE’s in the company and what is the turnover rate? What contributes to a high turnover rate or what sustains a low turnover rate?
16. How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
17. How would you describe the culture, politics, or environment of this organization?
18. How would you describe the qualities of the most successful people at your company? (the employee who get the biggest raises, promotional opps, etc.)
19. I’m looking for a leader or a mentor in whom I can believe. Does the company encourage or have an in-house mentoring program? If yes, would you, my supervisor, or another manager have that privilege?
20. Is there are any unanswered questions in your mind what information has not been put on the table to make you more confident in my capabilities and skills?
21. If you had one ‘wish’ that HR (finance, contracts, business development, where the position is in) could grant – what would it be, regardless of cost?
22. Is the company quick or slow to adopt new technology?
23. Let’s say you make me an offer and I accept. What is the first thing I’ll be expected to do when I assume the workload of the incumbent? To what projects will I be initially assigned?
24. Profile your top performer for me – regardless of position within this company. What does he/she do that makes him/her so much better?
25. What are some of the skills and abilities required to succeed in this job?
26. What are the companies’ strategic goals or objectives to be accomplished by this position in the next six months to five years?
27. What are the day-to-day responsibilities in this job not listed in the public job description?
28. What are the department’s strategic goals for this position in the next six months to five years? How do these goals mesh with the company’s goals?
29. What are the key business reasons driving the need for this position within the department (or company)?
30. What are the key metrics or performance objectives for measuring success in this position?
31. What are the problems that need solving immediately and long-term?
32. What are the top three economic or profit initiatives for your company/department and how this position is linked to these initiatives?
33. What are your major concerns that need to be immediately addressed in this job?
34. What areas of the job would you like to see improvement in with regard to how the person who most recently performed these duties?
35. What challenges might I encounter if I take on this position?
36. What competitors do you feel present the strongest competition? How does this company rank in competition against other company providing similar or the same products or services?
37. What computer equipment and software does the company use? When was your last upgrade? Do you have an internal IT rep or am I on my own to fix computer issues?
38. What departments or type of employees seem to need HR (or finance, or contracts, or whatever arena the job is in) assistance the most? And, can it be traced back to a concern or issue?
39. What does the company do to create a high morale or positive attitude among the employees? What type of internal ‘atta-boy’ or ‘high-fives’ are provided to employees? How long does one need to be with the company to be eligible for such rewards?
40. What goals does sales and marketing have that needs support by HR (or department for which you are interviewing) in the future for company growth?
41. What goals or objectives need to be achieved in the next six months? Next year?
42. What improvements would you like to see happen within the position, the department, the company?
43. What is the budget this department operates with? Has it been changed in the last year, and if yes, how?
44. What is the company’s policy on providing seminars, workshops and training so employees can keep up on their skills or acquire new ones?
45. What new endeavors is the company undertaking?
46. What potential reservation do you have about any applicant in this position?
47. What strengths do you feel I bring to this position after our conversation?
48. What types of people seem to excel here?
49. What would tell you that you’ve hired the best person?
50. What would you like to say a year from now about the person you hired for this position?
51. When it comes to work in this company, what issues and concerns keeps you up at night?
52. Where do you see that HR (finance, contracts, business development, etc.) could cut costs and overhead and the right person could assist or steer cost cutting?
53. Where is the person who previously held this job? (If fired, ask why; if promoted, where he or she went; if it is a newly created job, get a better idea of why it was added.)
54. Why did you choose to work for this company? When you made the move to come here; what was the most compelling reason? What are your ambitions in the company?
55. Will I be supervising anyone?
56. Will I be working as part of a team (how many?) or alone?
57. Will the company be expanding, bringing on any new products or new services I should be aware of?

About the author:

Dawn D. Boyer, Ph.D.

CEO, D. Boyer Consulting (https://www.DBoyerConsulting.com)

“Under-Promise, Over-Deliver; Your Success is My Success!”

Award Winning Business Woman and Entrepreneur (Inside Business, 2013)

Resume Writer & Career Consultant – rewritten 11,500+ resumes / enhancing career searches since 2000

LinkedIn Social Media Coach and Management – profile specialist since 2004 (12,500 connections)

Small Business Human Resources and Business Development – Entrepreneur since 1985

Print-on-Demand & Kindle Publishing Consultant & Author – 155+ published books since 1999; plus 21+ books edited and published for other authors, including Textbooks, Ph.D. Dissertations, Memoirs, and inspirational, devotional poems

Business Location:            Va. Beach, VA (Norfolk metro area) 23464 & Sandston, VA (Richmond metro area) 23150

Contact / Phone:              Dawn.Boyer@DBoyerConsulting.com / (757) 404-8300

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Dr. Boyer has 24+ years of senior management experience in human resources, of which 12 years is in government contracting.  She has written 155+ books in Business Development, Women’s History & Program Studies, Career Search Skills, Genealogy, Family History, as well as Fiction (135 of which are available via Create Space, Amazon.com, in paperback and Kindle), and Big Kids Coloring Books (40+).  She was recognized as an award-winning female entrepreneur by Inside Business (2013).  Dr. Boyer is also a SBA Mentor for SCORE: Service Corps of Retired Executives, Willamsburg Chapter, offering free mentoring to entrepreneurs to achieve their goals.