Asking Questions of Your Own
Once the interviewer has finished asking you questions, and if there is remaining time, ask your own questions. Good interviewers want to hear the types of questions you have.
Some of the questions you might ask are:
What characteristics does a successful person have at your company?
Describe the typical first year assignment.
What have been some of the major contributions made by individuals who have held this job previously?
What are the problems I will be expected to solve?
What is the career path for this position?
Could you tell me about the people with whom I will be working directly?
How is an employee evaluated?
When may I expect to hear from you regarding my candidacy?
How does your organization differ from its competitors?
What kind of training do you give?
What are the company’s plans for future growth?
How would you describe the corporate culture?
Where does this position fit into the structure of the department and the organization as a whole?
How much contact is there between departments or areas (if a large organization)?
To whom would I report?
Why is this position available?
The interviewer will signal the end of the interview most typically by rising and extending their hand for a closing handshake. You should rise at the same time with your briefcase or portfolio in hand. Before you exit, however, be sure to ask what the next steps in the hiring process are and when you might call to check on your status as a candidate.
As soon as you are out of the office and the lobby, stop, take a deep breath, and give yourself a figurative high-five! One more interview is over and, regardless of the outcome of this interview, you are one interview closer to a job offer.
