Most Internet content on interview questions focuses exclusively on the questions being asked by the interviewer (which we have located at our site as well). This section is different in that it focuses on the questions that candidates can (and do) ask the interviewer. Candidate questions, being asked by the candidate during the course of the interview.
Employers, ask yourself the question: "Would I be prepared to answer these questions when asked by a candidate?" And candidates, review the questions for each group, but then go to the last link on this page for the recommended select candiate questions.
If you are recruiting from the outside as a third-party headhunter or recruiter, there is an entirely new set of questions that you need to be prepared for:
If you are sold on a candidate and ready to make an offer, the most feared question often is: "Can I meet with someone at a peer level before making my decision?" How would you handle this request? And what questions might be asked in this type of meeting?
Who is the manager I would be working for and what is their management style?
May I have a copy of the written job description?
What would a typical working day be in this position?
How would you describe your company culture?
What is your company’s mission statement?
Why is this position open?
Is this job opening due to growth or replacement? (if replacement) What happened to the previous person in the position?
How much does the position pay?
What is the compensation range for this position?
What benefits are provided to your employees?
Do you have a tuition reimbursement plan?
Do you have an employee stock purchase plan? Do you participate?
What is the typical career path for this position?
What type of internal and external training do you provide?
How are performance appraisals conducted within your organization?
How are promotions evaluated within your organization?
What is your organization’s commitment to diversity?
How diverse is your executive management team?
What is your retention rate within the company? Within the hiring department?
Has your company had any layoffs in the past two years? What was the criteria for deciding who would be laid off? Do you foresee any additional layoffs in the near future?
What is the next step for consideration?
When will you be making a decision on this position?
What are the most important skills and attributes you are looking for in filling this position?
What would be a typical working day for this position?
How many hours of work per week would be required to be successful?
What is the organization structure of your department?
How would you describe your company culture?
What are your organizational values? How do these values influence your decision-making?
What is your vision for your department over the next two to three years?
What major challenges are you currently facing as a manager?
What is your competitive advantage in the marketplace?
What makes your company better than your competitors?
What are the areas where your competitors are better than your company?
Who do you consider your customers to be?
What is your value proposition to your customers?
What business problems keep you awake at night?
Can you tell me more about the other people in the organization I would be working with? Can I meet with any of them before accepting an offer of employment?
What would you consider to be exceptional performance from someone performing in this position in the first 90 days?
What is the internal perception of pursuing further education, such as a Master’s degree?
What is your management style?
How do you typically make decisions?
What is your preferred method of communicating with your team?
How are you measured as a manager?
What can I do to make you successful?
How long have you been with the organization?
What has been your career path within the organization?
What will be the measurements of my success in this position?
Do you have an employee stock purchase plan? Do you participate?
Who are the primary constituencies that you are responsible to support? Shareholders? Customers? Employees? How do you make decisions which conflict with the needs of these different constituencies?
How does the pressure of Wall Street expectations affect the short-term decision making among managers?
What are the organizational goals?
What are the metrics used to measure whether or not you are achieving your goals?
How far out into the future is the organization planning?
Do you have strategic planning within your organization? How often is it done? Who participates? What is the typical planning time horizon?
How are new strategic initiatives communicated to the organization?
Is your department considered to be a profit center or cost center? What are the financial expectations of the department?
Do you have control over your own budget? How is the initial budget amount determined?
Are budgets made at a centralized location, then rolled down, or decentralized, then rolled up?
What is your approach with regard to the use of technology?
Is there anyone within your organization who is considered to be a thought leader within the industry? What is it about that person that makes him/her a thought leader?
What is the next step in the interviewing process?
