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.
