Questions you should ask the Interviewer during a Job Interview
Job interviews can be nerve-wracking and stressful, however good preparation and understanding the interview process can significantly help not only alleviate the stressful elements of an interview, but also facilitate having a successful meeting.
As a part of this preparation it is a good idea to determine what questions you should ask the interviewer during a job interview. While you should not lead the direction of the interview, it is a good idea to ask questions. The reason for this is twofold, it not only will provide you with additional information, it will also show the potential employer you are proactive, prepared and have been thinking about the job.
Realistically many employers are going to base their decision on the types of questions you may, or may neglect, to ask. Here are some good queries to ask:
• Job Specific Questions
Prior to entering an interview it is a good idea to have already done your homework on the organization and at this time have a basic understanding of their mission and objectives. Most employers will assume you already know this coming in, so it is a good idea to focus more on departmental and job specifics.
• About the Company
Appropriate questions might be along the lines of asking about the company's strengths and weaknesses, 5 year organizational plans, organizational hierarchal structure, management style, or whether or not there is employee training.
Questions about how the company operates is also appropriate. Queries under this category may include asking about computer equipment or industry specific software, types of communication used in the organization, and hours of operations.
Specific job questions are also appropriate. For instance it is fine to ask about day to day responsibilities of the job, whether or not there is opportunity to see end results of work accomplished, and how will individual performance be reviewed.
What is not appropriate is to ask about salary, bonuses, benefits and those types of things; these should be asked or shared by the employer first.
• Professional Organizations
Showing interest in both the job and the industry is a good initiative. A good question to ask is whether or not there are specific organizations employees are encouraged to join (Virginia Tech Career Services).
• Talk about Current Goings On
On occasion in an interview questions are sometimes better phrased in conversational form. For instance if a company is opening a new office, rather than ask about it say something like "I read a news story in regards to a new opening" and then elaborate in querying along the lines of "what factors are under consideration for that decision" (Virginia Tech Career Services.
• Additional Clarification
If there were topics covered in the interview that perhaps you are left unclear on, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for clarification on these topics. It is better to ask and be clear than leave the potential employer assuming you understood. If these issues are readdressed in a follow up interview and you cannot answer the question, this would not look good.
Always do your homework first, asking obvious questions that can easily be found on the web will only illustrate you have not adequately prepared and are familiar with the company you are applying to; instead focus on articulating questions which are not so obvious to find the answer. This shows high interest and hands-on thinking. What's most important is to show initiative and only ask questions you are truly interested in knowing the answer as individual thought process is extremely important.
The types of questions you ask during an interview can make or break an interview. It is always best to think carefully, stay away from topics better raised by the employer, phrase your questions well and, above all, be prepared.
Source:http://www.career.vt.edu/interviewing/askquestions.html
