Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Questions to see if the opportunity is right for you

I spend a lot of time creating questions to ask applicants to see if they are the right fit for a job. On the other side, I often see job seekers not asking the right questions to determine if the job is the right fit for them.




Here are some questions you may or may not need answered. Find the answers by researching the company, googling the company, looking at other job ads posted by the company, interviewing friends/family that will know, or asking the interview panel.




Please do not bombard the interview panel with these questions. Two or three during each meeting with them is recommended. Ask only the questions that make a difference to you; that will determine if you will accept the job if offered to you. If you continue to have questions, you are best to research and to see if the answers naturally appear.




The organization




What are some of the challenges that your organization faces?


What are the company’s five year projections? What needs to be done to get there?


What are the company/department's major strengths and weaknesses?


What is the company's competitive advantage?


Who do you identify as major competitors?


How has the firm grown in the last 3 years?




The location




What other offices do you have in the city? In the province?


Where is the regional office? The Head Office?


What is the commute like? How much will parking cost?


What parking arrangements are there?






The job




Do you have a written job description for this job?


How had the job been performed in the past?


Why is the job vacant?


What are the major responsibilities?


What authority would I have? How would you define its scope?


What kind of budget does this job have to meet its objectives?




The boss




What can you tell me about the person I would report to?


What can you tell me about the other persons in key positions?


How would you define your management philosophy?






Employee Fit




Who "fit" in your organization?


What is your vision for this job? What do you hope the right hire will accomplish?


What is the first problem that needs the attention of the person you hire?


What are you looking for in the person to fill this job?


Why is the job open? Is this because of growth or attrition the job is open?


What did the last person accomplish? Why did they leave?


What fun things does this office do?




Motivators




How is good performance recognized in the organization?


How do you manage performance?


Are there core hours for this job?


What are peak busy times for this job?


Does this job belong to a union? If so, which one?


How much travel is normal for this position?


What is the overall compensation for this position? (Holidays, benefits, salary, bonuses, tax-free allowances, use of vehicle, educational allowances, use of technology...)


Will I need to use my own vehicle for the job?


Are employees afforded an opportunity for continuing education?




Feel free to add...

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