Four Important Questions To Ask Your Interviewer; Do You Really Want To Work For This Person?
|
Many job seekers miss a golden opportunity when they are asked towards the end of an interview if they have any questions. If they feel the interviewer adequately explained the position, they make the mistake of answering "No" to this question. But this is the perfect time to find out if you really want to work for this person! After all, even a wonderful job can turn into a miserable experience if you don't get along with the person you work for.
Here's how to find out if the boss will be as great as the job -- ask these questions during the interview:
1. "What's your ideal employee like?" Asking this question will give you an idea of what this boss would expect from you. Listen carefully to the answer and deduce what it will mean for you. For example, if her ideal employee works independently, you'll know this boss is not a micromanager. If her ideal employee follows procedures without question, you'll know it may be an uphill battle to implement changes or new ideas. If her ideal employee works long hours, don't expect to leave on time every night.
2. "What are the other people in the office like?" Does this boss really know the people who work for her? Does she list their accomplishments with pride or say something vague and unimpressive? Note her tone of voice when she talks about her team. Is she enthusiastic or disappointed?
3. "How does an employee succeed on your team?" Hopefully she'll give you something more enlightening than "Do the job right." You want to learn what standards are expected. For example, if it's a sales position, will you be expected to exceed a specific dollar value in sales or obtain a percentage of satisfied customers? So if her answer is too generic, you may have to follow up with more questions to get specifics. Ask about the typical career path for an employee who successfully meets goals.
4. "How do you go about solving problems?" How she answers this question can give you insight into her management style. Does she prefer to take charge when things go wrong, or encourage her team to develop solutions?
In addition to the answers themselves, note this person's overall attitude about answering these questions. If she was open to them and answered thoughtfully, she's probably someone who enjoys promoting good working relationships. If you're offered the job, you shouldn't have any hesitations about working for this person. But if she appeared to resent the questions and didn't answer them to your satisfaction, she's not someone you'd
want to work for.
It's better to know this sooner rather than later!
Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, "Career-Life Times." Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
|
|
|
Do Your Very Best In All Things -- Because Someone Is Looking....
Your job is to rise ABOVE the challenge. Do more than is expected. Say nothing negative about anyone or anything. Yes, that is easier said than done for most of us. Still, it is simply good advice for all. You never have to watch your backside when there are no boomerangs returning.DRIVE A NAILJust today I was reading about a Dad who made his son drive a nail into the fence every time his temper flared. After about 37 nails hammered into the fence the young fellow decided to curtail his outbursts. Every time the son contained his temper Dad let him go to the fence and pull out a nail.For a moment, lets look at the fence together. What do you see? That's right, an unsightly fence with lots of holes in ...(related: Employment)
Rewriting Your Resume? 7 Easy Ways To Give Yourself An Upgrade
In today's competitive job market, a first class resume is an essential tool for winning an interview. The way in which you present your skills, achievements and experienc...(related: Employment)
Evaluating Job Offers -- Eleven Warning Signs You Must Watch Out For
Moving into a new job always involves some degree of uncertainty. You should do your best to find out all you can about a prospective employer, starting right from the pre-interview stage.Here are some things to look out for. If one or more of these warning signs are present, you need to be doubly careful about joining that organization.1. The company is in the midst of mergers and acquisitions, or there is a major reorganization taking place, staff cutbacks are on the anvil or some other major flux is occurring.2. The company you are considering is not undergoing problems like those described above, but many other companies in that industry are. That could be an indication that trouble may spread to your prospe...(related: Employment)
How To Walk Away From An Opportunity Thats Wrong For You
Q. I just finished a job interview. Everything went well. But I can't get excited about the job. The people were nice but frankly, I got bored.Should I withdraw my application or hang on to see what happens?A. Let me share a secret. I love country music especially the classics. Your question ...(related: Employment)
Avoid A Three-ring Circus With These New Interviewing Strategies
I referenced the circus because I just finished another interviewing book that recommends asking for the job before leaving the interview. I can envision up to 15 qualified professionals each asking the interviewer for the job. If each asks for the job, doesn't that make the question null and void ? cross out each other's great gesture? If everyone jumps through the same hoop, performing like a good little circus monkey, what's going to set you apar...(related: Employment)
Seven Steps To Better Networking
If published statistics are accurate, employment agencies and search firms fill about 20% of all jobs in the US. Job boards fill anywhere between 2% and 8%. So how do the others get filled?Networking consistently fills more jobs than any other method. Yet people often don't know how to network well or only act in crisis (I need a job now!) Networking when you don't need a job will help you cultivate relationships that will help you find work.Here's what to do.1. Develop an elevator speech. If you're not familiar with th...(related: Employment)
Is Pursuing A Career In Patent Law The Right Move For You?
What's It All About?The field of patent law is wide open to Biologists, Chemists, Engineers, Computer Scientists, and many other science and technology professionals. And it's true; individuals with the proper science or engineering degree need only pass the Patent Bar to become registered Patent Agents. Upon becoming a Patent Agent, you may gain employment wri...(related: Employment)
Cleaning Houses For A Living Has Some Unexpected Benefits
If you're looking for a way to earn a living or just to make some extra money on the side, cleaning houses for a living is probably not the first thing that comes to mind.Cleaning houses? Doesn't that sound like a lot of unpleasant, grungy work?Yes, it does sound pretty unpleasant, and that is exactly why there is very good profit in it. Most people hate to clean. Add to that how busy everyone i...(related: Employment)
Why Culinary Education
If you are thinking about a career in culinary arts then studying in a culinary school is a must. You may be a great cook but you will never become expert learning culinary arts yourself. Further taking up a job as a chef in a good restaurant demands a professional qualification, which comes only after attending a regular culinary school.There are many a myth surrounding culinary arts. For example people say culinary is an art and art cannot be taught. This is not true. First culinary is not just an art, its science too. You must know about the ingredients you are using while cooking. You should also have through knowledge of the contents of the ingredients or additives you use to cook food. It helps you to be an informed chef.Another myth is that culinary education is very costly. You se...(related: Employment)
The Top Ten Strategies Of A Great Interview
You've just received a call to interview with your dream company. Do you know how to prepare for the interview so that you'll feel confident, have a good experience and set yourself apart from others? Try following the steps below and you'll not only be well prepared, you'll present yourself as a true professional.1. Research the company.Do your homework, e.g. go to the company's website and read about the employers vision, strategy, competitive advantages, products, finances, departments, etc. If the company doesn't have a web presence look them up at the library, call the Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce, find out who they are, what products they sell, and something about their competitors.2. Prepare your elevator speech.This is your two-minute opportunity to enlighten the int...(related: Employment)
Cdl Practice Test ? Offers Practice Tests To Prepare For The Cdl Exam
As you take CDL practice test, you do become morefamiliar with the CDL test, and being familiarwith the test will make the actual test much lessstressful.In fact, if used correctly, CDL practice testcan be an extremely targeted study tool thatwill precisely pinpoint the areas in which you are weakest and then help you to learn how to combat and overcome those weaknesses.What if you take a CDL practice test and get 20questions wrong, and your errors span a largenumber of different topics, from GeneralKnowledge to Hazmat?Well, you should take your test and study it. Identify every question you got wrong, figure out why you got it wrong, and then tea...(related: Employment)
Federal Job Search Strategies: 7 Tips To Help You Succeed
Despite constant calls by politicians and policy makers to reign in government spending, the federal government remains the largest employer in the United States. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, there are currently more than 2,700,000 employees working for the federal government in civil service positions. For nearly every federal job vacancy, the number of applicants exceeds the number of available positions by at least tenfold.Why do so many Americans aspire to a federal job? The answers are diverse. Some consider it a patriotic duty, while for others it's an act of enlightened self-interest. Whatever your motivation, however, the benefits are significant. Simply put, Uncle Sam is an excellent boss.Working fo...(related: Employment)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Employment