Interview Questions to Ask Employers

Candidates for employment need to do two things well. They need to answer interviewer’s questions and ask good questions of the interviewer.

Two rules also apply when asking employer’s questions. They are to ask questions that say something about your ability to fit in, do the job, and ability to meet the company objectives. The other is to hold off asking about benefits until after the first interview. When an offer is made you’ll have more negotiating power.

Below are some different questions to ask. If the employer has answered these questions, don’t ask them. Choose those that would be appropriate for the situation. You may want to re-word the questions so that you can feel comfortable asking them. Remember, if you’ve done your homework and researched the company and the position, you may already know the answers and may want to ask more in-depth questions.

1. What specific duties and responsibilities are most important to getting the job done as part of a team?
    
2. How do you like to operate in terms of delegation of authority, responsibility, and assignments?
    
3. What characteristic do you like most and least in a subordinate?
    
4. What criteria would be used to evaluate my performance, and how often would I be appraised?
    
5. What’s the normal path and time frame for advancement within the company.
    
6. What are the major areas of accountability for this position?
    
7. Is the position sharply defined, or can it be expanded and changed?
    
8. How have other people handled this position? What did they do well, and where did they make mistakes?
    
9. What could I expect to face in the first month, three months, and six months on the job?
    
10. What would you like me to achieve in three, six, nine, twelve months?
     
11. How much authority and responsibility would I have?
     
12. To whom would I be most directly responsible?
     
13. Who would I be most closely working with and what are their responsibilities?
     
14. If I’m filling a job opening, why did my predecessor leave?
     
15. Do you have a job description available? You should already have one of these before interview; if not, get one now.
     
16. When will you be making a decision, and what’s the process? This question you may want to save for at the end when you ask your questions.
     
17. Could you talk a little bit about what typical work week would be like for _______ at _____ Company?
     
18. What are some of the strengths you believe the ideal candidate for this position should have?
     
19. How long do people tend to stay in this position?
     
20. How does your company measure employee performance? How often is this done?
     
21. In your opinion, what is the best part of this job?
     
22. In your opinion, what is the worst part of this job?
     
23. What do you feel is the best aspect of working for this company?
     
24. What do you feel is the worst aspect of working for this company?
     
25. If I were hired, how many others would there be in my department?
     
26. How would you describe the management philosophy at this company?
     
27. What is your management style? This question is great because it tells the employer that you are truly interested in a good personality match. It also lets them discuss their favorite topic…themselves.

Don’t just use these questions. Think for yourself and develop a series of questions you think would help you learn more and impress the interviewer!