Extensive list of questions to ask interviewers

These questions are taken from the book “Smark Questions to Ask on your Interview” by Ron Fry.

“Feel free to take some of the typical interview questions…and ask them of the interviewer instead”:

• What are the company’s (department’s) strengths and weaknesses?
• What was the last great challenge faced by the department?  How did you and your team handle it?
• Can you tell me about a successful project and how you managed it?
• Can you tell me about some recent problems you’ve faced and how you (as a team) overcame them?
• What’s your definition of success?  Of failure?
• If you could change one thing about the way this department works (or is structured/managed), what would it be?
• How often do you and your team socialize outside of work?  Is such extracurricular activity actively promoted?  Tolerated?  Discouraged?

about the company

§ Are you currently planning any acquisitions?

§ Do you have many employees working flextime or telecommuting?

§ How fast is the company growing?

§ How many employees work for the organization?

§ Is there anything else you feel it is vital I know about the company?

§ Please explain the company’s organizational chart.

§ What are the company’s strengths and weaknesses?

§ What are your goals in the next few years?

§ What are your key markets? Are they growing?

§ What are your leading products or services?

§ What are your plans and prospects for growth and expansion?

§ What do you like best about this company? Why?

§ What do you see as the key goals for the company during the next year?

§ What growth rate are you currently anticipating? Will this be accomplished internally or through acquisitions?

§ What has been your layoff history in the last five years? Do you anticipate any cutbacks in the near future, and, if you do, how will they impact my department or position?

§ What have you enjoyed most about working here? Liked least?

§ What is your hiring philosophy?

§ What is your ranking within the industry? Does this represent a change from where it was a year ago?

§ What is your share of each of your markets?

§ What major problems or challenges have you recently faced? How were they addressed? What results do you expect?

§ Which other companies serving your markets pose a serious threat?

§ Who owns the company?

§ Will you be entering into any new markets in the next couple of years? Which ones and via what types of distribution channels?

about the department

§ Are there specific challenges you are facing right now?

§ Can you tell me about a successful project and how you managed it?

§ Can you tell me about some recent problems you’ve faced and how you (as a team) overcame them?

§ Could you explain the organizational structure of the department and its primary functions and responsibilities?

§ How is the department’s performance measured?

§ How many people work exclusively in this department?

§ If you could change one thing about the way this department works, what would it be?

§ To whom does my boss report?

§ To whom will I be reporting?

§ What are the department’s specific objectives for the next three months?

§ What are the department’s strengths and weaknesses?

§ What are the department’s current goals and objectives?

§ What has the turnover been in this department in the last couple of years?

§ What was the last great challenge faced by the department? How did you and your team handle it?

§ What problems is this department facing?

§ What would you most like to see changed in this department?

§ With which other departments would I work most closely?

about the job

§ Are there a lot of after-hours business events I will be expected to attend?

§ Are there other things you would like someone to do that are not considered “formal” parts of the job?

§ Are there plans for new products or services I need to know about?

§ Could you describe a typical day in this position?

§ Does this job usually lead to other positions in the company? Which ones?

§ How advanced/current is the hardware and software I will be expected to use?

§ How did this job become available? Was the previous person promoted? What is his/her new title? Was the previous person fired?

§ How do you see me working with each of the department heads?

§ How do you see my role evolving in the first two years?

§ How has this job been performed in the past?

§ How long has this position been available?

§ How many hours a week do you expect your star employees to put in?

§ How many people will be reporting to me?

§ How much budgetary responsibility would I have?

§ How much day-to-day autonomy will I have?

§ How much travel should I expect to do in a typical month?

§ How will we work together to establish objectives and deadlines in the first months of this job?

§ How would my performance be measured?

§ Is a written job description available?

§ Is relocation an option, a possibility, or a requirement?

§ Is there no one from within the organization who is qualified for this position?

§ On what basis are raises and bonuses awarded?

§ Please tell me a little bit about the people with whom I’ll be working most closely.

§ Please tell me more about your training programs. Do you offer reimbursement for job-related education? Time off?

§ What are three things that need immediate attention?

§ What do you think my biggest challenge will be?

§ What is the first problem I should tackle?

§ What’s the one thing I can do right at this job to assure my success?

§ What is the one thing I should do during my first three months on the job?

§ What kind of training should I expect and for how long?

§ What kinds of decisions could I make without oversight?

§ What skills are in short supply here?

§ What will my days be like?

§ What would be the most logical areas for me to evolve into?

§ What would you like to be able to say about yr new hire one year from now?

§ Where will I be working? May I see it?

§ Would I be able to speak with the person who held this job previously?

about the process (including “closing” questions)

§ Are there any specific areas in which you believe my qualifications are lacking?

§ Before you are able to reach a hiring decision, how many more interviews should I expect to go through and with whom?

§ Can I assume that I am a serious candidate for the job?

§ Can we discuss the details of my package?

§ Can you tell me where you are in the process?

§ Do you have any concerns I haven’t adequately addressed?

§ Do you have any reservations about my ability to do this job?

§ How am I doing?

§ How do I compare with the others you’ve interviewed for this position?

§ How many other candidates have you interviewed?

§ How much time have you set aside for interviews before you make a final decision?

§ How will you weight your subordinates’ input?

§ Is there anything else I can tell you that would help you make the decision to hire me?

§ Is there anything that is stopping you from offering me this job right now?

§ Is there more information I can give you?

§ Over what period will those other interviews take place?

§ What are the key criteria you’re going to use to decide callbacks?

§ What are the next steps in the hiring process?

§ What kind of feedback does your boss expect you to give him?

§ When can I expect to hear from you?

§ When can I start?

§ When do you expect to make a final decision and fill the position?

§ When may I meet some of my potential colleagues?

§ Where do we go from here?

§ Whom do I need to talk to next?

§ With whom will I be meeting next (names and job titles)?

About upcoming interviewers

§ How long have they been with the company?

§ What are their ages and family situations?

§ What are they like?

§ What issues are important to each of them?

§ With whom will I be meeting next?

About your boss’s “style”

§ How do you define success?

§ How do you measure your own success?

§ How often do you and your team socialize outside of work?

§ How would you describe your management style?

§ In your experience, are there particular types of people you seem to work better with than others?

§ What do you think your responsibility is to develop your people?

§ What’s your definition of failure?

§ What kinds of people seem to succeed in this company? In this department? Working for you?

§ What particular traits do you value most in your subordinates?

§ What’s your philosophy about “mistakes”?

§ When is the last time you got really angry at one of your subordinates? What was the cause? What did you do?

After receiving an offer

§ Are there any other items we need to discuss to make this offer complete?

§ Are there any upcoming events occurring before my start date in which I could participating?

§ If I have further questions, whom should I contact?

§ Is there any reading I can do to prepare for my first day?

§ What could I do before I start to jump-start my entry into the department?

§ When would you like me to get back to you?

§ When would you like me to start?

Agencies and Recruiters

§ Could I meet with some of the other people you’ve placed at this company?

§ Do you foresee any problems with the company meeting my financial needs?

§ How integral to the company’s success is the department I’d be joining?

§ How long do you think the interview process for this job will take?

§ How long has this job been open?

§ How long have you been working with this company?

§ How many candidates has the interviewer already seen?

§ How many people have you placed at this company?

§ How many people would be reporting to me?

§ Is a written, detailed job description available?

§ Is the interviewer my potential boss?

§ Is the person with whom I’m interviewing the decision maker?

§ Is this a new position? Was it created as part of a new project, division, or strategy?

§ Tell me about the company.

§ To whom would I be reporting?

§ What can you tell me about the culture of the company?

§ What else do I need to know?

§ What happened to the person who previously held this position?

§ Who is your contact at the company?

§ Why is this job available?

During an informational interview

§ Can you direct me to others at your organization whom you think I should meet?

§ Do you know anyone at the organizations I’ve targeted?

§ Given my credentials, where would you see me fitting in at a company such as yours?

§ How can I learn more about this field?

§ How can I meet others in this field?

§ How did you get started at this company (or in your profession)?

§ How do you spend your day?

§ What are your duties and responsibilities?

§ What do you like least about your job?

§ What do you like most about your job?

§ What is the best way to get started (in this field or at this company)?

§ What kind of person do you think is right for this kind of work?

§ What skills are in short supplies here?

Human Resources

§ Are there any challenges facing this department right now?

§ Can you tell me more about what I’d be doing on a daily basis?

§ Do you have a written description of the position?

§ Do you have any concerns about my abilities?

§ Does the company have a mission statement or written philosophy?

§ How quickly are you hoping to fill this position?

§ How would you characterize the company’s overall management style?

§ How would you describe the corporate culture?

§ How would you say I stack up against the other candidates you’ve interviewed?

§ What are your recruiting plans this year?

§ What can you tell me about my boss?

§ What can you tell me about the interviewer?

§ What can you tell me about the people I’ll be managing?

§ What can you tell me about the people with whom I’ll be working?

§ What’s a key thing about your company you’d like potential new hires to know?

§ What other positions at the company should this job prepare me for?

§ Where are you in the decision-making process?

Peers (Future colleagues)

§ Do you consider this company to be an ideal employer?

§ Does the company support you with ongoing training and education?

§ How are your contributions to the organization measured?

§ How long have you worked for your manager?

§ How many hours a day do you usually work? Do you have to work weekends?

§ How would you characterize your manager’s management style?

§ If you had to do it over again, would you work here?

§ What can you tell me about working for this company?

§ What do you consider this company’s strengths and weaknesses?

§ What do you wish you had known before you took your job?

§ What were your expectations when you started here? Were they met? How have they changed?

§ Why did you decide to work here?

Sites dedicated to two Hollywood greats

What a data bank for Cary Grant and Humphrey Bogart fans!

Did you know that Cary Grant has a rose named after him?

There is a Humphrey Bogart MasterCard for die-hard fans!

I love the way this site is arranged, too.

Justice Harry Blackmun [audio/photos/video]

Image via Wikipedia

This is a very interesting site dealing with Justice Harry Blackmun.  It has photos, and audio and video clips of various topics relating to him.

Topics like:

• Tensions with Chief Justice Berger over the Nixon tapes
• Humor in the court
• What justices do when arguments get boring
• and more

Read it all here.

How would you react? [video]

What would you do if you saw him in the mall?  Walk by?  Laugh?  Argue?