When looking for a new job, you spend hours and hours preparing your resume, rehearsing your answers, and picking out your interview outfit. What people typically forget to prepare for is interviewing their soon to be new boss and company. It is as important for you to “interview” the people interviewing you; a new career is not a one-way street. Of course, you want to get the job you are applying for and even more than that you want your new job to become a new career. To make this happen, you need to make sure that your new potential boss and company have goals that are in line with your goals. We will discuss some questions that might be good to consider asking the hiring committee.
10 Possible Questions:
- How would you describe yourself as a leader/manager?
- What has been your team’s biggest achievement?
- What drives you crazy in people you manage?
- What do you look for when you hire/promote people?
- What are the biggest priorities for your department over the coming quarter/year?
- What is the typical career path and time frame associated for a person in this role?
- How do you communicate with your team members?
- How will new hires be trained for the new position?
- What are the principal metrics in terms of individual reviews?
- What are the roles of the others in the department?
Most interviews will end with a chance for you to ask a few questions, if you do not get the opportunity ask for it or bring it up on your own. When the time comes and you have the chance make sure you take it, failure to ask anything may be inferred as disinterested or unprepared. Have more questions you actually plan on asking ready. It might seem obvious but pay attention to what was already said during your interview, some of your questions may have already been addressed during the interview.
After the interview is over, take the time to analyze all of the information you were just given. Examine the information as well as any potential red flags that might have been given during the interview by the interviewee. Here are a few possible red flags to consider and reflect upon:
- Lack of general respect and manners. Please & thank you goes both ways.
- There’s an overall lack of enthusiasm for you, your resume and the general interview.
- Inappropriate questions, you would be surprised at some of the questions interviewers ask potential new clients.
- An ego that is inflated, when an interviewer continues to interject their personal achievements.
- Your gut feeling; trust your gut.
Throughout your new job journey don’t overlook “during interview” preparation. Good luck!
