Questions to ask your interviewer?

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

What questions should I ask?

 

[BadPinkTink]

1. Do you contact unsuccessful applicants?
2. When will I be contacted if I have have been chosen as the new employee?
3. When is the start date?
4. I need to give 4 weeks (fill in as applicable) notice to my current job so I am only available to start on X date, is that ok?
5. I have a family get together / hospital appointment / vacation booked, so I will need time off for that, is that ok
6. What is my vacation allowance?
7. What is the company policy on calling in sick?
8. What are the company benefits?
9. Do I have to wear a uniform?
10. What are company policy on tattoos, piercings, mens facial hair etc etc?
11. What day are wages paid?
12. Are wages paid weekly or monthly?
13. How are wages paid?
14. What is the hourly rate / yearly salary for this vacancy?
15. Is there a company induction / basic training period?
16. Are training days / induction days paid for or are they included in vacation allowance?
17. Does the company provide health insurance?
18. What is the career progression like? If I start an an entry level job, will I be eligible for in house promotions?

There are alot more, and some of the above may not apply to all job interviews

 

[wvjules]

Wow. Bad interviewer questions above, IMO. Most of those are HR and negotiations questions. Not to be asked in an interview. If I were asked most of those questions as an interviewer I’d be really turned off.

Ask what they like best about the company/their favorite part of working for the company.

Ask about company culture.

Ask what attributes someone needs to succeed in the role.

Ask for clarification on job responsibilities if any are unclear.

IMO, do not ask questions about salary, benefits, etc. Most you should already know, the interviewer may not know, and are better suited for when an offer is given.

Go with the flow. Ask follow up questions during the interview if it fits and feels right.

I’m a strong interviewee. I have always had positive feedback after interviews and have usually been offered the job. Be yourself and Good luck.

 

[BadPinkTink]

Wow. Bad interviewer questions above, IMO. Most of those are HR and negotiations questions. Not to be asked in an interview.

Actually I have NEVER had an interview with a company which has a HR department. Only large corporate companies do, most SME's the owner / manager or the managing directer are conducting the interviews and are the hiring person. Also there is no negotiation process, you either get hired or you dont. The interview is the ONLY time when these questions can be asked.

Like I said, the questions may not apply to all situations, BUT many times in small companies, these types of questions are not asked which then lead to a mis match of expectations when the person starts the job!


Not all of us are at the upper management / CEO stage of our careers! A great many of us are entry level employees or general employees who work in day to day jobs!

And whats the big deal about asking about money? When I go for an interview I need to know that the money being offered is an amount that I can live on. In an interview, its a two way process, its not all about the employer filling a vacancy, the potential employee needs to find out if the company is a good fit them too!

 

[fla4fun]

Well, if you know the company you are interviewing with, you can try Googling them to find out benefits such as PTO and insurance. The more you can find out about the company in advance, the better.

I don’t think the HR type questions are wrong, but the questions regarding corporate culture and the role itself should be first. It’s all about timing and diplomacy. Instead of all the specific questions, perhaps ask about the benefits package in general, if they haven’t mentioned it and you couldn’t find the info online.

 

[AgentMama]

Wow. Bad interviewer questions above, IMO. Most of those are HR and negotiations questions. Not to be asked in an interview. If I were asked most of those questions as an interviewer I’d be really turned off.

Ask what they like best about the company/their favorite part of working for the company.

Ask about company culture.

Ask what attributes someone needs to succeed in the role.

Ask for clarification on job responsibilities if any are unclear.

IMO, do not ask questions about salary, benefits, etc. Most you should already know, the interviewer may not know, and are better suited for when an offer is given.

Go with the flow. Ask follow up questions during the interview if it fits and feels right.

I’m a strong interviewee. I have always had positive feedback after interviews and have usually been offered the job. Be yourself and Good luck.

This is all good advice. I agree that benefits questions, salary, etc should wait until an offer is made (if unknown before the interview). Make sure you have researched the company and as much about the position as you can before the interview. Bring printed copies of your resume for everyone you'll be meeting with (even if you think they will already have what you sent). There is always a negotiation period for salary/benefits when a job offer is made and you choose whether or not to accept the offer.

 

[rwdavis2]

I generally didn't ask about benefits, vacation, etc. unless they offer the job. I spent more time asking about what the job entailed and my responsibilities. I program computers so specific questions vary by the job.

 

[BadPinkTink]

again I dont get this oh dont ask specific questions, the interviewer may not know. Again thats possibly ONLY relevant in a large corporate companies, your average joe soap on the street, the regular folk who are not at senior management level, the more specific the questions, the better. And again whats with this negotiation process? Like really, joe soap, being interviewed for a janitor vacancy in the high school is not going to have a negotiation process, its a you are hired or you are not and thats the end. Wow, some of you need to come out of your corporate bubble world and mingle with the little folk, you know the invisible people like the Disney Custodial CM's who pick up your garbage and clean up your kids puke!

 

[amberpi]

I'd ask what challenges the firm has in the market. It's a very telling question.

ETA: As a hiring manager, I would have been so turned off by the HR questions a PP mentioned. Those are NOT IMO appropriate for an interview, but can be addressed once the offer is made by HR. Those are not hiring manager questions at all.

 

[Skywalker]

1. Do you contact unsuccessful applicants?
2. When will I be contacted if I have have been chosen as the new employee?
3. When is the start date?
4. I need to give 4 weeks (fill in as applicable) notice to my current job so I am only available to start on X date, is that ok?
5. I have a family get together / hospital appointment / vacation booked, so I will need time off for that, is that ok
6. What is my vacation allowance?
7. What is the company policy on calling in sick?
8. What are the company benefits?
9. Do I have to wear a uniform?
10. What are company policy on tattoos, piercings, mens facial hair etc etc?
11. What day are wages paid?
12. Are wages paid weekly or monthly?
13. How are wages paid?
14. What is the hourly rate / yearly salary for this vacancy?
15. Is there a company induction / basic training period?
16. Are training days / induction days paid for or are they included in vacation allowance?
17. Does the company provide health insurance?
18. What is the career progression like? If I start an an entry level job, will I be eligible for in house promotions?

There are alot more, and some of the above may not apply to all job interviews

I agree these are not the questions to ask in a job interview. It all comes off as sort of entitled or greedy or having the wrong focus, I don't know but I would run screaming from this candidate. Of course, this is all stuff that it is very important and valid to find out but maybe putting the cart before the horse....the questions to ask should be about the job, and making sure the job and the candidate are the right fit. Once that is established and if you are offered the job, that is time to nail down such details as above. After all if you aren't even the successful candidate for the job, it's a waste of time to ask most of these at that stage anyway.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

1. Do you contact unsuccessful applicants?
2. When will I be contacted if I have have been chosen as the new employee?
3. When is the start date?
4. I need to give 4 weeks (fill in as applicable) notice to my current job so I am only available to start on X date, is that ok?
5. I have a family get together / hospital appointment / vacation booked, so I will need time off for that, is that ok
6. What is my vacation allowance?
7. What is the company policy on calling in sick?
8. What are the company benefits?
9. Do I have to wear a uniform?
10. What are company policy on tattoos, piercings, mens facial hair etc etc?
11. What day are wages paid?
12. Are wages paid weekly or monthly?
13. How are wages paid?
14. What is the hourly rate / yearly salary for this vacancy?
15. Is there a company induction / basic training period?
16. Are training days / induction days paid for or are they included in vacation allowance?
17. Does the company provide health insurance?
18. What is the career progression like? If I start an an entry level job, will I be eligible for in house promotions?

There are alot more, and some of the above may not apply to all job interviews

OMG - if I was asked those questions, I would quickly end the interview. You would never be hired.
Some are ok - but oh my lord.

 

[QueenIsabella]

again I dont get this oh dont ask specific questions, the interviewer may not know. Again thats possibly ONLY relevant in a large corporate companies, your average joe soap on the street, the regular folk who are not at senior management level, the more specific the questions, the better. And again whats with this negotiation process? Like really, joe soap, being interviewed for a janitor vacancy in the high school is not going to have a negotiation process, its a you are hired or you are not and thats the end. Wow, some of you need to come out of your corporate bubble world and mingle with the little folk, you know the invisible people like the Disney Custodial CM's who pick up your garbage and clean up your kids puke!

I think what you're missing is that those are mostly very "me-centered" questions, as in, "How will this job fit into my desires?", rather than focusing on what you, the potential employee, can bring to the company. Even if I'm hiring a janitor or some other low level position, I want to know if the person is going to show up on time and put in the required effort. Focusing on calling in sick, benefits, and vacation time tells me that the potential employee is not concerned about getting the job--whatever it is--done.

 

[mom2rtk]

I wouldn't hire anyone who asked about sick leave in an interview.

 

[gotomu212]

again I dont get this oh dont ask specific questions, the interviewer may not know. Again thats possibly ONLY relevant in a large corporate companies, your average joe soap on the street, the regular folk who are not at senior management level, the more specific the questions, the better. And again whats with this negotiation process? Like really, joe soap, being interviewed for a janitor vacancy in the high school is not going to have a negotiation process, its a you are hired or you are not and thats the end. Wow, some of you need to come out of your corporate bubble world and mingle with the little folk, you know the invisible people like the Disney Custodial CM's who pick up your garbage and clean up your kids puke!

Maybe there’s a cultural difference going on here. You’re in the EU aren’t you?

Here, even when I interview entry level people, I don’t expect questions about when you’re paid and how sick leave works. Those would be questions for when someone calls and offers you the job and you decide whether or not to take it. Asking a lot of very technical HR type questions makes me think someone is going to me high maintenance and/or expects to take a lot of leave. Unless I’m desperate I skip anyone asking a lot of these types of questions.

The questions I like are about “how can I succeed here”. For example how does advancement work here? Are there oppurtunities to cross train? Do we get to work on longer range projects or is it the same duties every day? Or questions specific to the duties if it’s not clear like do I have the opportunity to work directly with customers/suppliers?

 

[BadPinkTink]

Maybe there’s a cultural difference going on here. You’re in the EU aren’t you?

well spotted

exactly, I guess maybe here in Europe, we have a very different approach and are more open about things. And yes the questions are me centric, because I am trying to see if the company is a good fit for me. Like I said before, when you are being interviewed at an entry level for a mom and pop store, I need to know if the money being offered is what I can live on. Theres no nogatation process, you want the job its yours, hum and haw and say maybe, can I think about it, then you dont get a second chance as there are 20 others waiting in line behind you.

For some companies I have worked at, there has been no induction, you go straight into the job and get on the job training from your co workers, some companies have a specific training period with a mentor, again, questions need to be asked so there is no miss match of expectations. For example, in the company with the specific training period with a mentor, the trainee does not get full pay until the training process has been completed. If the interviewer has not said this, then the potential employee should ask.

When I start a new job, I want to know exactly what is expected of me which includes any information not provided by the interviewer which I feel is relevant, so that I can determine if I want to work for that company.

 

[Toolulu22]

well spotted

exactly, I guess maybe here in Europe, we have a very different approach and are more open about things. And yes the questions are me centric, because I am trying to see if the company is a good fit for me. Like I said before, when you are being interviewed at an entry level for a mom and pop store, I need to know if the money being offered is what I can live on. Theres no nogatation process, you want the job its yours, hum and haw and say maybe, can I think about it, then you dont get a second chance as there are 20 others waiting in line behind you.

For some companies I have worked at, there has been no induction, you go straight into the job and get on the job training from your co workers, some companies have a specific training period with a mentor, again, questions need to be asked so there is no miss match of expectations. For example, in the company with the specific training period with a mentor, the trainee does not get full pay until the training process has been completed. If the interviewer has not said this, then the potential employee should ask.

When I start a new job, I want to know exactly what is expected of me which includes any information not provided by the interviewer which I feel is relevant, so that I can determine if I want to work for that company.

Seems a difference in how its done in different countries I suppose. In the US there is a minimum wage paid and potential employees have a basic idea going into an interview (whether starting out, mid-level, or top executive) what they should expect to be paid within a certain range of salaries or wages. It will vary based on experience, education, and other factors, but as others have said, going into an interview you are discussing your qualifications for the job and how you might fit with the company (store, etc.). At the point when you are offered the job (usually sometime later on, but maybe with some jobs on the spot) is when you discuss compensation and other benefits and you decide if you want to work there. This is also when you might be able to negotiate a higher pay (or not).

Is there a minimum wage in Europe or does the starting salary fluctuate a lot? I remember my first job in a retail store, not much pay and the hours were terrible.

Since you asked for advice, but seem to be surprised by the responses you've received- perhaps you can look at some career based job sites. Do a search for how to prepare for an interview, or what questions to ask at an interview. I'm sure you will come up with a list of a few questions that feel right for you.

 

[SirDuff]

well spotted

exactly, I guess maybe here in Europe, we have a very different approach and are more open about things. And yes the questions are me centric, because I am trying to see if the company is a good fit for me. Like I said before, when you are being interviewed at an entry level for a mom and pop store, I need to know if the money being offered is what I can live on. Theres no nogatation process, you want the job its yours, hum and haw and say maybe, can I think about it, then you dont get a second chance as there are 20 others waiting in line behind you.

For some companies I have worked at, there has been no induction, you go straight into the job and get on the job training from your co workers, some companies have a specific training period with a mentor, again, questions need to be asked so there is no miss match of expectations. For example, in the company with the specific training period with a mentor, the trainee does not get full pay until the training process has been completed. If the interviewer has not said this, then the potential employee should ask.

When I start a new job, I want to know exactly what is expected of me which includes any information not provided by the interviewer which I feel is relevant, so that I can determine if I want to work for that company.

I'm in the EU and would write you off for most of those questions.

 

[ashley0139]

No one can give you the best questions to ask because those are specific to the company/position. You should research the company and industry and have questions regarding what is going on in both of those.

Company culture questions are always a good fallback though.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

Great questions to consider... but not all of them should be asked verbally!

 

[kaytieeldr]

There are alot more, and some of the above may not apply to all job interviews

::no:: I fully expected this response to be followed with, "Oops. These are the questions not to ask!"

again I dont get this oh dont ask specific questions, the interviewer may not know.

They are interviewing you. The questions to ask in an interview need to pertain to the job, not the benefits. Trust me, the interviewer knows about the job.

And yes the questions are me centric, because I am trying to see if the company is a good fit for me.

I can't believe things are so different in Great Britain that a orbital interviewee would not research the company in advance.
*****

OP: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nextav...erview-questions-you-should-ask/#1ac57a7bace2 Google has more suggestions.

Conversely, many of the questions suggested in the controversial post above mesh with the worst questions to ask lists:
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/10-worst-questions-interview-3/
Update
https://work.chron.com/eight-worst-questions-ask-interview-1120.html