7 INTERVIEW
QUESTIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU LAND YOUR DREAM JOB
You
scored the interview for the job you really want and you really seemed to hit
it off with the hiring manager. Now, she’s turned to you with that dreaded
question.
"So,
do you have any questions for us?"
In
general, it’s a bad idea to ask about vacation time or whether the office has
beer on tap—at least early in the process. But the worst thing you can do is
say you don’t have any questions, says Alexa Merschel, campus recruiting leader
for PwC US, who oversees recruitment efforts at 200 colleges and universities
for the multinational professional services firm. That indicates you’re either
not taking the opportunity seriously or aren’t being discerning about whether
you’re the best fit for the job.
This
is an opportunity to both do some sleuthing about your prospective employer and
showcase your own skills and thinking, she says. If you’re truly stumped, have
these seven questions in mind for your next interview.
This
question can uncover both the company’s values and the skills it prioritizes,
says Simma Lieberman, founder of Simma Lieberman Associates, a workplace
culture consultancy. The answer may be that the company wants the individual to
hold a certain set of viewpoints or opinions, or it could be that it values
diversity and looks for individual skill sets based on the job. "If you
listen, the answer to this question can tell you a lot about the culture,"
she says.
One
of the most important things you’ll need to know about your new job is how you
can be successful at it, says executive recruiter Patricia Lenkov, founder of
executive search firm Agility Executive Search. This will help you evaluate
whether the metrics by which you will be measured match up with your
expectations, skills, and experience, she says. For example, in a sales role,
will your first three months be focused on meeting customers and building relationships,
or will you have sales quotas to meet right out of the gate?
Lieberman
recommends this question for two reasons. First, it indicates that you’re
interested in contributing to the overall well-being of the company, and you’re
not afraid to share your opinions. In addition, if there is no definitive way
that employees can give feedback, or if the manager seems confused or put off
by the question, employee contributions may not be valued as highly as they
should be, she says.
"You
want get a sense of how fast the company is looking to move," she says.
This
question needs to be tailored to the role, but can be a smart way to show off
your industry expertise, says Leela Srinivasan, former director of marketing of
LinkedIn Talent Solutions and current CMO of the hiring platform Lever. If
you’re interviewing for a marketing role, you might ask which marketing
channels are working best for the firm or into which they’d like to expand, she
says. Ask a question that gets beyond the surface and shows that you have deep
expertise in the industry or sector, she says.
Embedded
in this question is the message that you’re serious about staying if there’s
growth potential, Merschel says. With the expense of turnover, a
forward-thinking employee who wants to grow with the company can be attractive.
In addition, the answer to this question will likely give you insight into
training or other development programs the company may have. Conversely, if
there isn’t a growth path, that’s a good thing to know going into the job.
Srinivasan
says many companies work so hard on developing their cultures, it’s important
to be sure that the prospective employee understands what it’s like to work at
the company. The answer to this question can also give clues about what you can
expect in terms of work hours, stress levels, and other factors that may affect
your overall quality of life.
"I
like to hear a question about culture in the interviews, because it shows the
interviewee is aware of the importance of fit," Srinivasan says.
This
allows the hiring manager to interject a bit about himself or herself and may
also yield information that isn’t in the rehearsed company messaging, Merschel
says. By allowing the interviewer to delve a bit into his or her own
preferences, you’ll get insight into the person, as well. For example, someone
says he or she values flexible work hours and company-wide volunteerism days
sends a different message than someone who says he or she values the
willingness of the team to do whatever it takes to get the job done. This type
of insight can help you get a better feel for whether the company is a fit, she
says.
BY GWEN
MORAN
http://www.fastcompany.com/3053473/hit-the-ground-running/9-interview-questions-that-can-help-you-land-your-dream-job
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