Ken Anczerewicz

What to Do When the Employer Asks If YOU Have Questions

Most of us get so nervous about what the employer is going to ask us during an interview that we completely forget to prepare for an equally important portion of the face-to-face conversation:

Copyright (c) 2008 Kenneth Anczerewicz

Are you nervous about what an employer may ask during an interview? Have you considered that an equally important part of an in person discussion is the part where an employer asks, "Do you have any questions for me?"

Some companies consider this a formality. Sometimes the interviewer is just being polite and looking to answer any queries you may have about the position, the company, and so on.

Certain companies (e.g. newspapers, consulting groups) judge whether you're right for the job by the quality of your questions and the way that you ask questions. A person interviewing for a journalistic position should be comfortable probing for information and should display curiosity. For this candidate to say, "No, I don't have any questions," may throw up a huge red flag to the employer, saying that you might not have what it takes after all.

What might you be asked? Here are some sample questions candidates might want to ask an interviewee:

* "Is there a reason why the position is vacant?"

* "How often is this position vacated and filled?"

* "What are some of the toughest problems I would face in this role?"

* "What sorts of things would you like me to do differently than the person who previously held this position?"

* "What are the company's long-term goals for this position?"

* "How much freedom or autonomy would I be given in this role?"

* "What is the career trajectory like for someone who enters at this level?"

And remember, since this reverse question-and-answer portion always comes at the end of the interview, you should be careful only to ask questions that haven't been answered yet throughout the course of the discussion!

Just as you would practice answers to interview questions, practice posing these questions to the interviewer. Again, you can use a friend or family member to pretend that he or she is the mock interviewer.

Above all, stay on your toes, listen carefully, and don't just recite things from rote memory. Participate in the conversation rather than trying to fit it into a particular mold. If you are flexible and yet deeply involved in the conversation, that will reflect very well on you in the end.

Keep the six Ps in mind: Proper, Preparation, Prevents, Particularly, Poor, Performance. And then relax and win.

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