3 Interview Questions To Ask Employers

Describe management style of the most successful person in this job?

When employer tells you. Give short 3-4 sentence answer. Describe accomplishments you have had, using that management style. Stand out from rest.

Employer will tip you off on management style to guarantee success. Even if you heard it. Ask question to confirm what you heard.

Your hidden agenda: Before the interview write down your management style. (Odds are employer is going to ask about it.)

What are key traits and skills of your management style? Before the interview write out an accomplishment for each trait. Quantify those accomplishments. Use numbers and percentages. Hard hitting facts. Practice your answers out loud, several times.

(You want them to flow naturally. First few times you answer them out loud, they will come across stilted and hesitant. Potential employers pick up on that immediately. You will lose interview points. “Practice makes perfect” strikes again.)

You want your accomplishments to be verified or supported by your peers and bosses.

Always important to identify who can verify each of your accomplishments. Why?

Employers typically ask for references. They want references from direct bosses/peers. HR Department references are rarely valuable. HR does not know your specific accomplishments. They give only answers they know. Dates of employment and whether you are eligible for rehire.

Worthless information to employers. They are trying to determine if you can solve their business challenges. Always remember: You are being interviewed to solve specific problems, issues, or opportunities. A great personality is fine, but it does not guarantee results. New employers need results.

When creating your reference list. Identify people who can support you. Make sure your references know you are using them.

Then remind them of your key accomplishments when working for them. Don’t expect former bosses to remember your accomplishments on their own. Especially 2-3 years later? How much do you remember about key employees accomplishments years ago? Help your references support you.

Why is this job open, at this time?

Listen carefully. Your answer needs to address how you will solve that problem/issue. You want to know why the position is open.

Employer wants to know you are the solution to that “why”.

How to prepare for this question.

Don’t make this question harder than it is. There are very few answers t this question:

-Employee was promoted (usually employer will tip you off why they were promoted.) Very valuable information: Employer has just identified how you can succeed. Confirm that with accomplishment that demonstrates how you are different.

-Incumbent was transferred. (Again valuable information for you. Either on how to succeed. Or how to avoid screwing up/making mistakes.) Follow-up question: Why?

-Employee was fired, laid off, or terminated. (Different employers  use different terms, depending on guts of employer. Many employers have been emasculated by HR Departments. Trained to offer answers that will offend as few as possible. Unfortunately, that never helps person fired, laid off, or terminated. 

-Company wide layoff. (Always ask, if company wide, why is position being refilled now? There can be lots of good reasons. When you hear the reason, show an accomplishment you have had that addresses reason.)

-We eliminated this function. (Again, why are you re-filling position.)

-Employee quit. Very important question to get answered.

Any other answer will likely be variation of above.

  What results  would you expect from a superstar in first 3-4 months in this position?

Greatly improves confidence in your answers. That confidence will come across.

You will remember accomplishments that have been forgotten, often for years.