When you’re sitting in a chair opposite a hiring manager at a company you’d love to work for, it’s easy to pray that they hire you and agree to any terms they offer. You may even accept less pay or longer hours to get a job at this organization. But it’s important that you realize that the employer shouldn’t be the only one doing the interviewing. You have some questions of your own to ask in order to verify that you’ll actually be happy within this organization. That’s not to say that you should present them with a list of demands, but you should take time to verify that this is the right place for you.
What to ask
First of all, you want to make sure that you fully understand the job. Far too many people have eagerly accepted an offer without fully realizing what the position entails, only to wind up miserable weeks later. Before you come on board, you want to know exactly what a typical day looks like for a person in that role. Even if you’ve held a similar job before, it’s important to go over the job description. Make sure everything is laid out on the table before you commit.
You also want to find out about growth opportunities within that company. While you may love the position you’re taking on now, you want to make sure that this doesn’t become a dead end job. Ask about growth opportunities. Does the company offer a management training program? Do they like to promote internally? This information can help to illustrate whether the company is a good fit or not. If it quickly becomes clear that this position is just a job and won’t lead to a real career, it may be time to look elsewhere.
Find out about company culture
Always place an emphasis on learning about company culture, as this can shape your happiness within the organization. Find out what kinds of people have been successful in the past, and ask about the type of people they like to hire. You want to make sure that you’re going to blend in seamlessly, and don’t spend each day feeling like you stick out like a sore thumb.
There’s no need to spend time interrogating a company’s hiring manager during your interview, but you also don’t want to sign on the dotted line before you have a clear picture about what life at that company looks like.
Have you “interviewed” a hiring manager before? What did you ask? Let us know in the comments!
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