Interviewing the Interviewer

There are many things people should do for interviews:

· Gather information about the company/interviewer beforehand
· Be on time
· Dress appropriately
· Hygiene, hygiene, hygiene (obvious and somehow overlooked)
· Come prepared with a few extra copies of your resume
· Prepare a list of questions to ask during the interview

For some reason, this last one seems to stump some folks. They either don’t go prepared with questions or can’t think of any on the spot. The best way to combat the latter is to do the former. Sure, you’ll most likely think of several questions during the interview you can ask (hint: bring a notepad/portfolio), but the Boy Scouts have it right with their motto: Be Prepared.
It is 100% all right to pull out your notepad at the end when they ask if you have any questions. If you take notes about their responses, it just shows you are serious about the position. In fact, I’ve heard lots of managers state they typically pass on candidates who don’t ask any questions at the end. So, with that in mind, below are some questions (in no particular order) you can jot down prior to your interview so you don’t blank out while there.

· Why is this position open?
· Of the other candidates you’ve interviewed, what’s been missing?
· What does a typical day look like for the person in this role?
· What are the greatest challenges in this role?
· What are the performance expectations for this position?
· How many others are on the team?
· What is the training like for this role?
· What are the company’s short-term and long-term plans/goals?
· What is the company culture?
· Who would I report to?
· What is their background?
· What is your background?
· Why do you like working here?
· What is the job progression/career path for this position?
· When do you need someone to start?
· How does my background and experience fit what you’re looking for?
· What is the next step in this interview process?

There are many more you can ask that will be specific to the role you’re applying for, and you can have those ready prior to the interview as well. If not, you can try to remember as you go along and ask them before you leave, or it’s perfectly acceptable to ask additional questions when you send them an email thanking them for their time (hint, hint).

Just remember to go armed with questions and you may just be one step ahead of your competition. Good luck!