Questions to ask a potential employer-part two

Chris Wodke

Remember you have three goals you want to accomplish during the interview: determine if you are a good fit for a position, to discuss the reason why you are a good fit based on past job success and to determine if the company is a good fit for you.

6. What are the three most important initiatives in the company right now?
   You want to hear from the viewpoint of the interviewer, the three most important challenges or issues for the company. If you have done your research well you will have a pretty good idea what they are.  You will have some ideas about how you can help this organization with their most important challenges. You can talk about how you have tackled similar issues in past positions. For instance if quality issues are an issue, you can discuss how you put your Six Sigma training to use to stream line claims processing.
7. What are the biggest challenges the department I joining faces?
   The department you might be joining may have challenges that are different from the overall company.  If turnover is high or sales are lagging this may signal a risky situation.  If the department is having issues with quality and you have improved the quality in several positions, this may be a good fit for you.  If you are a good fit, discuss with the interviewer how your skills and experience are a good fit for this position.  Show them based on past success with similar issues that you would bring a lot of value to the company.
8. What would my first project be if hired?
   The answer to this questions will tell you the type of work you will be doing and the level of responsibility.  Is this the type of work you want to be doing?  Is it the level of responsibility that is a good match for your skills?  Can you be successful based on your past experience? If the answers are yes, be sure to discuss your interest in this type of work and  give some ideas about how you would accomplish the project.
9. What do you like best about working for this company?
   The answer to this question will tell you a lot of what is important to the interviewer.  This is important to know if the person answering is your potential boss.  The things they like are a clue to the type of boss they are. The answer will also give you some clues about the company culture.
10.  How many hours is the average work week?
    This is an indirect way to ask about how many hours a week they are expecting you to work.  Some companies expect you to work 50 or more hours a week. Some routinely work 60 hours.  Others work overtime at busy times of the month or year. If you value a balance between your work and home life, you need to find out the expectations. You don’t want to be surprised by the number of hours once you join. 

In part three we will finish up with a few final questions to tie up the interview discussion.  The key to remember is to consider the issues most important to you.  Think about the type of work you want to do and the type of company you want to join. Then tailor your questions to find out the things you need to know to make a good decision. It is better to turn down a job that is not a right fit, then to join an organization and not be successful. It isn’t fair to you or to the company you join.

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