You get a call from your dream company. “We’ve reviewed your resume and would like for you to come in to speak with the interview team.” Your heart races with excitement. You’ve made it through the first hurdle!
Then your happy buzz fades as the sobering reality sets in: You now face a second and more challenging hurdle—the Interview.
What should you wear? WHAT questions will they ask? How should you respond to their questions? What questions should YOU ask? 
As you sit down to sort through the varying outcomes of each of these questions, you start making lists of “Shoulds” and “Shouldn’ts,” of “Dos” and “Don’ts.” Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there were lists already made for you? Lists you could mold to fit your particular needs? Lists that serve as starting points in your preparation?
I want to see you land your dream job! To make your life a little easier, I’ve compiled several lists to help you as you enter the land of The Job Interview. In Part 1, we’ll explore the things you should and should not ask once you step into that room. I hope these guides serve you well.
Questions you SHOULD ask during your interview:
- Can you describe the position in more detail? Even better: do some research on your own and preface this or any other question with information you’ve discovered about the company. For example, “I see that your company is rapidly expanding… I’m curious if the position I’m applying for is new or is it an existing position?”
- Can you describe a typical day for the person in this position?
- Would you provide an example or two of the types of projects I’ll be working on?
- Will I be primarily working with a team or on my own?
- Can you describe your ideal employee for this position?
- What’s your company’s 3- or 5-year plan, and how does the department I’m applying for fit into that plan?
- How does your company show that it values its employees?
- Does your company offer professional training and development?
- When do you hope to fill this position?
- If I were to start tomorrow, what would my top priority be?
Questions you should NEVER ask during your interview:
- Do you pay overtime?
- When will I be eligible for a raise?
- How often does the company give raises?
- Will you check my Facebook page?
- Do you do background checks?
- Do you pay overtime?
- Will I be able to work from home?
- How much sick, holiday, and vacation time is allocated? Actually, it’s OK to ask this question, but MUCH later in the process after the company has expressed interest in you.
- Avoid questions that start with “Why,” because they put people on the defensive.
- Do not ask questions that you can easily find information about on your own with a quick Google search.
Interested in learning even more interview tips and tricks? Follow me on Pinterest, particularly my board I’ve dedicated to helping you “Ace That Interview.” http://www.pinterest.com/drgloriab/ace-that-interview/
I hope you enjoyed today’s post! Care to chat more? Follow me on Twitter and Facebook to continue the conversation! Twitter: https://twitter.com/gloriaburgess Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drgloriaburgessPhD. And feel free to learn more about me and Jazz! Inc. by checking out my website: http://gloriaburgess.com/index.html.
Until next time… keep on keepin’ on. And let me know what’s happening with you.
Pass It On!
Dare To Wear Your Soul on The Outside 