Workthing

Workthing: "Top questions to ask

Workthing polled several recruitment firms on the top questions for candidates to ask at interview

To find out about the company

Our advice is to ask lots of open-ended questions which would encourage the
employer to talk. Questions like: 'What is the vision for the company?' and 'How
would you describe the culture in the business?'

You can also find out a lot about the company by directing questions to the
interviewer in their capacity as an employee. For example: 'What attracted you
(the interviewer) to join the company?' or 'How long have you been here and what
has made you stay so long?'

Ask for more information on the company. If you have secured financial
statements, then ask for more information about them. Engage the interviewer in
a discussion about them. It is important to do this even if the position is a
non-financial one. It shows that you have keen business sense. Also, it shows
that you're aware that the meeting involves two parties. Similarly, ask
questions on the company's vision, mission statement, and strategy for the
coming years.

Office Team

In organisations with flatter structures, be careful when asking about
promotion. A better way to tackle this would be 'how can you see the role
developing?' Other questions to ask are: 'what circumstances have led you to be
recruiting?' and 'how long do people stay in the role?'

Working Careers

To find out about the role

Find out if there are consistencies between your ambitions and the direction
of the job by asking, for example, what development opportunities there are in
the role.

Cooper Lomaz Recruitment

1 I have read the job description, can you expand on the job I will be doing?

2 What type of training is provided?

3 How do you see me in the role?

4 Do you have performance targets?

5 How will I know that I am doing well?

6 What are team members achieving?

Working Careers

It's important that you find out about the role in the wider context of the
organisation. Asking questions about the organisation and the role will give you
an idea of whether it is indeed the right job for you. Questions like: 'What
will the scope for learning and development be?' and 'What are the opportunities
for progression?' allow you to determine whether the job will take your career
in the direction you have chosen for yourself.

Questions like: 'What can you tell me about my boss?' and 'Can you tell me
about the management/leadership style within the business?' should give you an
idea of whether the organisation's values and the way it operates will suit you.
It's important that candidates inform themselves about what they're letting
themselves in for. Often people will see a job advertised, and think I'd love to
work for that company, without knowing what the reality of life inside that
company is like.

Strategic Dimensions

To find out how well you've performed

I suggest that people ask for feedback at the end of the interview. For
example, what's the next step in the hiring process, what sort of chance do I
have, and so on. This shows that you're open-minded and mature enough to handle
any criticism and advice. It also shows that you're mature enough to learn.
Interviews have changed. It's not a secretive process anymore, where the company
invites you in to screen you. It's now a transaction. Asking for feedback tells
the interviewer that you see yourself as an equal party in a transaction.

Office Team

You must always close the sales process, so ask 'how do you see me fitting
in?' and 'what is the next step [in the recruitment process]?'

Working Careers

To impress your potential employers

Ask questions that are focused on embodying your enthusiasm, as well as your
willingness and ability:

1 What is the team working on at the moment?

2 Can I meet the team?

3 Can I look around?

4 What are your strategies for growth?

5 How soon do you want an employee in place?

6 If there was one major achievement that you would like to see happen within
the role from the outset, what would it be?

7 Can you describe what made the last person successful in this role?

8 What are the immediate improvements or priorities that need to be applied to
this role?

9 What changes would you like to see in the way the job is performed?

10 To ensure I would be able to hit the ground running would you be able to
supply any procedures, literature or other supporting information in preparation
for my first day in the role?