Face to Face Interview: Questions
An interview is a two-way street. Ask questions. The employer should provide an opportunity for you to ask questions at or near the end of the interview.
Always prepare questions to ask. Having no questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent thought process.
- Some of your questions may be answered during the course of the interview, before you are offered the opportunity to ask. If so, you can simply state something to the effect that you were interested in knowing about ..., but that was addressed during the interview. You could ask for additional clarification if applicable.
- Never ask about salary and benefits issues until those subjects are raised by the employer.
The first impression has been strong and you’re confident you’ve prepared properly. However, not all questions within an interview environment will follow the same line.
For example,
Technical Questions
Technical questions will be asked by the Line Manager, members of the team that are directly involved in the department you will be joining, but very rarely they will be asked by HR representatives.
Technical questions can be directly relevant to the technical expertise you can bring on board to the organisation, how you can technically qualify for this role, or it can come in the form of case studies or multiple choice numerical tests, SAS/Excel/Access/SAP tests, etc.
You are an expert in your skill-set. To get this stage you will have some of the technical expertise they are looking for. The key to this is to be able to articulate it, drawing upon specific examples from your career history. When giving an example think about how it aided the project you were on, how it added value and of course, therefore, how it would add value to a future employer.
Manager Questions vs. HR Questions
Whereas the Line Managers will want to make sure that you bring on board the right set of technical skills and you have the relevant work experience with a proven track record, the HR representatives will be looking at your competencies and personality traits.
Passing the HR interview is as important as passing the Line Manager interview. The HR representative will be the one who can recommend your suitability and fit throughout different areas of the organisation you are interviewing at.
Probing questions you might ask the employer at the end of the interview
As suggested at the end of the interview it is your chance to clarify any points about the role, your suitability for the company and your future within their organisation. Once out of the interview room, you should know if the company, role and environment offered are suited to you and you to them. Should the organisation come with an offer to you, you should now have all the answers for you to make a prompt informed and successful decision.
Test yourself – do you have intelligent questions to hand?
- Can you tell me more about the position and the type of person you are seeking?
- Reason the position is available?
- What is the culture of the company?
- Is there an induction and training programme?
- What sort of people have done well in the organisation?
- Are there advanced training programmes available for those who demonstrate outstanding ability?
- How does my background compare with others you have interviewed?
- What will be the measurements of my success in this position?
- What is the vision for the organisation's growth?
- What are the organisation's best selling products or services?
- What is the next step in the recruitment process?
- What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competitors?
- How important does upper management consider the function of this department/position?
- What is the organization's plan for the next five years, and how does this department fit in?
- Could you explain your organizational structure?
- How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
- What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
- Could you describe your company's management style and the type of employee who fits well with it?
- What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job?
- What is the company's policy on providing seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?
- What particular computer equipment and software do you use?
- What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year?
- What percentage of routine, detailed work will I encounter?
- How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my efforts?
- Who will review my performance? How often?
- How much guidance or assistance is made available to individuals in developing career goals?
- How much opportunity will I have for decision-making in my first assignment?
- Can you describe an ideal employee?
- What is your organization's policy on transfers to other cities?
