10 Questions to Ask a Potential Employer
In my next few posts, I am going to explore 10 questions that you should ask a:
- Potential employer
- Potential spouse
- Salesperson
- Potential client
- Potential employee
With this post, I will look at potential employers . . . they have quite an impact your personal finances.
- Is this position new? If so, why was it created?
- Why is the position open?
- What happened to the previous person in this position? Did they get promoted? Where did they go?
- What are the short-term and long-term expectations for the person filling the position?
- What are the benchmarks/objectives/milestones upon which I will be judged?
- Can you describe the day-to-day responsibilities to me?
- Who will I work with?
- Who will I report to? Who reports to me?
- Where will I be performing my duties in the position? Can you describe the travel requirements?
- When would I start?
I would also add that I would clearly state that you want the job at the end of the interview and I would send a thank you note within a day of the interview.
Remember-- you are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you.
What would you ask a potential employer?
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Categories: careers, Personal Finance, Self Improvement, Personal Philosophy
Tags: Self Improvement How to ideas Personal Finance Tips Tricks Techniques Success Careers Personal Philosophy
These are good questions to ask, and your point about interviewing them would be foremost in my mind. It has to be a good fit in both directions or it won't work out for the long haul, and everyone's time is wasted.
After you find out who you'll be working with, I would ask to speak with your future co-workers, perhaps three of them. That is one sure way to get a good feel for how it will be once you start working there. Speaking with management only will give you only what management wants you to know. You want to know what it's really like to work there.
This approach confirms the fit, and it gives you other employees to make a recommendation on your behalf. In a smaller companies, management and senior employees need to interview potential employees. It provides a nice range of feedback on the candidate, and that way the company in general is happy with the final decision.
Clair
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Good point-- interviewing the rank and file can be revealing . . .
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this is good. Knowing WHY there's a job is very valuable info for your longevity at the company. Can't wait to see the potential spouse Qs.
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Glad you like these ideas. The potential spouse or partner questions are going up later tonight . . .
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I'm going to share with you my ultimate question. Every time I have asked this, the person has replied "Wow. That's a good question."
The question is: "If you could go back five years and give yourself any piece of advice, what would it be?"
A similar question is "They say you learn more from your mistakes than your successes. What mistake have you learned the most from?"
I've asked this during job interviews, and got a posetive response. It shows thoughtfulness, and also helps you stand out from the standard questions.
Plus it forces the interviewer to reall think, and could give you some great insight into how to make the most of your job.
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Thanks for sharing that one. I would also say that it probably buys you time to consider positioning yourself in the interview . . .
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