- What’s life on the job like?
- What kind of training do they offer?
- How is feedback provided?
- What’s the company culture like?
- Who’s on the team you’ll be working with, are they cool, and how does working together work?
- What are the next steps in the interview process?
8 SMART ANSWERS to Interview Questions!
Questions about the specific job
4. Can you tell me about the kind of supervision you provide?
“This is a great question for social and other community workers to ask” Brady says. Getting good quality supervision is critical for social workers to reflect on their practice, develop their expertise and provide high-quality service to clients,”
15. What new initiatives or changes are on the horizon for the organisation?
Change is a constant in most community organisations. Mergers, new funding, funding cuts, new leadership – these are perennial parts of many NFP organisations. It’s good to know just what’s in store for your first months in a new job.
5. What have past employees done to succeed in this position?
“This is a great question – even better if it’s asked against current employees,” Brady says. “It sets the candidate out as a high achiever as they are looking at what they need to succeed and hopefully achieve positive outcomes for clients.”
17. Is there anything else I can do or provide to help you make your decision?
Brady says this is a solid question – “it shows the candidate is switched on,” as well as showing that you’re confident and enthusiastic.
If you had a chance to interview for your company again (knowing what you know now), what questions would you ask next time?
Ashley White, executive director for Human Resources for APQC, a member-based non-profit that produces benchmarking and best practice research suggested this toughie.This one is slightly sneaky because it also allows you to surreptitiously monitor the interviewer’s hidden signals. Do they suddenly look uncomfortable before spouting the company line? Do they greet this with a giant grin? You might have more answers to this question by what they don’t say, than even by what they do share.
What is the turnover in your company, in the executive suite and in the department, I am interviewing for?
Dave Arnold President at Arnold Partners says as a leading independent CFO search consultant for technology companies, he’s had 100’s of people go out to interview with clients, and he thinks that’s a question worth asking. While people no longer expect to stay at any given job for decades or more, it’s nice to know how long you can expect to stick around if given the opportunity. If the interviewer grows uncomfortable or shares the fact that turnaround at their company is higher than Dancing with the Stars, you might want to think twice before accepting the position.
