‘A single conversation with a wise man is better than ten years of study.’
- Chinese Proverb
Recently I received a call from one of my protégées. For the purpose of this discourse let us call his name John. You see John whose career I have been monitoring over a period of five years is presently at crossroads career wise. I recruited him for one of our client organization sometime in 2011 as a human resource professional. Even back then I knew he was a ‘Star’. We have therefore remained close ever since.
John had since left the organization I recruited him for and is presently working with another organization. According to him, his employer recently employed a General Manager to head his department who after working with him for sometime saw the potentials and consequently felt threatened. According to my protégée, this GM is very shallow but tries showing off as if he knows. To avoid a situation whereby John would be getting glories for his accomplishments, this man avoids passing jobs to him. He prefers giving jobs to one of John’s colleagues with less ability and skills. The clear message was to frustrate John and get him to voluntarily resign his appointment with the organization so that he could plant a crony who would always do his bidding. Without going into the nitty gritty of the situation John wanted out of the organization fast and at all cost.
John had started seeking employment elsewhere and being a star he has been receiving invitations for interviews. One in particular was interested in employing him, but he was not comfortable with their set up. He had met with their management team and during the chat he was able to display his ability and they were convinced about his technical depth and practical knowledge. You see, the company wanted to set up their HR department and they wanted to employ an expert to make that possible. Having been uncomfortable with their set up he tried to drive them off with obviously outrageous compensation demands. In John they have seen that prospective candidate and of course invited him for a final chat with their MD. That was when John called me up to seek for my advice.
First, I told John to be wary of taking any decision that he would regret later. He wanted to leave his present place of employment where he is not appreciated at all cost. Yes. He wanted a more challenging job. Yes. He wanted a work environment where he can grow. Yes. I pointed out however that whenever he decides to move, he should seek employment in an organization where he could realize his primary aim in life. I then told him that there certain questions prospective employees should be asking during interviews that would make them elicit certain facts from prospective employers. These facts would help them decide whether they should join an organization or not.
Are you presently going through the same kind of challenge as my protégée? Or you are presently at loss as to what questions you should be asking during interview sessions? Or you are uncertain about what questions to ask the recruiter to learn more about a potential employer? Or you happen to be one of the job seekers who during interview chats get tongue tied when asked by hiring managers if they have any question to ask? We talent hunters have known it for a fact that most job seekers when asked whether they have any question to ask more often ask questions related only to salaries or irrelevant questions. The job interview is supposed to be a two way communication. Much as the employer wants to learn about you, the only way you as a potential employee can learn about a potential employer is by asking probing questions. It is by asking such questions that you can learn what an employer expects from a person that will occupy a position on offer. It is by asking the hiring manager questions that an interviewee can unearth the attributes, skills and experience expected of the person that will be occupying a position on offer.
The objective in this article is to highlight the kind of probing questions job hunters needs to be asking during interview sessions to enable them discover certain facts about an organization they intend to work for that can assist them in reaching decisions about their professional careers.
What therefore are those questions potential employees should be asking during interview sessions that can assist them in learning what they need to know about a potential employer? What questions can a job seeker ask to reveal whether he is a perfect match for a job on offer? What questions must a candidate ask a hiring manager during a job chat to show that she can perform well on the job?
The following are the six most significant questions I have come across that are likely to reveal to you the potential employee the relevant information required about a prospective employer or a particular job.
What is the next step in the recruitment process? This is one of the top interview questions a potential employee needs to ask the hiring manager. This kind of question when asked will enable the job seeker to know whether that stage of the interview session ends the interview or there is still more to be expected.
What are the key attributes the employer is looking for in a person who will occupy the position on offer? By asking this question, you will be able to know more about those special skills and talents required of the person occupying the position on offer. Whatever requirements stated in the job advert might not be detailed enough. Therefore asking directly will enable the hiring manager shed more light on this.
Can you tell me the characteristics of a person that has met or exceeded your expectation when occupying this position? This is another top interview question required to learn more about the strengths of a person that will occupy the position on offer so that it will assist you in your preparation.
Can you tell me what you will like best or least when one is working in this organization? This question is designed to help you learn more about the way to conduct and comport herself in the course of performing your duties when offered the position.
Can you describe the typical day/week for a person occupying this position? This is another top interview question that can be used to learn about an employer and is designed to learn about the typical tasks of a person occupying the position. It is designed to learn more about the roles you are supposed to perform when offered the position.
What do you expect me to perform in the first sixty to ninety days of engagement?: This kind of question when asked is supposed to enable you to learn about what is required of you during the period of probation. In most organizations, the probationary period is between two and three months, therefore asking this question will assist you in knowing what is expected of you and if you will be able to meet the expectations or not.
From the information provided above, the challenge of knowing the top interview questions prospective employees should be asking hiring managers can therefore not be over emphasized. This is because these interview questions when asked will allow you the potential employee to know whether you want the job on offer or not if you are eventually selected. Further, such questions will enable you to know whether you can do the job if you are eventually recruited. Finally, this kind of probing questions will enable you to know whether you want to work with this particular employer if eventually you are recruited. These interview questions are therefore designed to assist you in your bid to learn as much as possible about a potential employer and the job on offer in particular.
Thank you for sharing your time with me. I hope you have benefited from reading this post as much as I have benefited from writing it.
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