Questions to ask a potential employer-part one

 Chris Wodke

http://www.summittrainingpublications.com/

When you interview, your potential employer will ask you a lot of questions. They want to determine if you have the technical skills to do the job and  if you will be a good team member .  The questions they ask will help determine if you will be a good fit with their organization. You should take the same approach with some questions of your own. You need to determine if this is the right job for you and if this is an organization you want to join.  Here are some potential questions you may want to ask your potential employer:

1. What will my duties be?
   Someone I talked to recently wished she had asked this question.  She thought she was interviewing for a paralegal position. When she joined the company she found out the position was for a legal secretary and she couldn’t type. Sometimes employees don’t ask about your job skills. You will want to find out what skills you will need, then you can determine if you have those skills and can be successful. If your skills match the duties, talk about how your skills match the position and how you have used those skills successfully in the past.
2. Who will my teammates be or With whom will I work?
   The answer to this question should tell you the skills and experience level of your potential peers. You should also get an idea of the size of the team and their place in the company. The answer can again help you determine if your skills will fill a gap in this organization.
3. How will my performance be evaluated?
   This is a really important question and lets you know how the company values rewards and recognition. Are they a company that sets aggressive goal? Do they recognize good performance?  How often will you be evaluated?  Does evaluation only take place at the yearly review?  Will your work be closely monitored? Are clear goals set or will you work be defined by fuzzy objectives. You will want to join an organizations that is a good fit for you in this area.
4. What are the opportunities for advancement?
   The answer to this questions will tell you if there is a career path in the organization.  Do people move within the organization or do they stay in one position long term.  Do managers actively try to develop their employees?  You may get a sense of the environment from the answer to this question.
5. Why is the position open?
   Did the employee move onto another position within the company or did they leave the company?  Has this department gone through a series of managers or employees in this position?  That may be a signal there is a problem manager or work group.  If the position is a new one, it may signal a growing company or segment of the business. Sometimes positions are created to solve a particular problem. If the position was created to solve a problem highlight how you would use your skills to solve their issues.

These questions should be part of a back and forth diaglouge you have with the potential company. Think of the interview as a chance to show the company the things you can do for them. Stop thinking of the interview as a chance to just convince the company to give you a job.  Always think about  the value you can bring to your new organization. In the next article we will continue with more questions you can ask to determine if you joining an organization will be a good decision for both of you.

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