Mary writes:
In a job interview, the interviewer asks the specific questions that you are to answer, and after answering all these questions, the interviewer may ask if I have any questions. What should be the questions that I ask so that I know if this is the job for me, especially if I am changing jobs?
You raise a great question here. While career experts often spend a lot of time teaching job-seekers the art of selling themselves in a job interview,they often leave unsaid how important it is for the employer to also sell you on the opportunity … and the importance of job-seekers to find an job-seekers and a job that fits them well.
So, while it is always important for job-seekers to ask questions at a job interview — because it shows the employer you are interested — you should also have a plan for asking the types of questions you need answered to provide you with enough information to make such an important decision if a job offer should come your way.
More and more larger companies are placing this information on the pages of their online career center, so be careful not to ask something that can easily be found.
Some types of questions you could ask to learn more about the company and the opportunity:
- Can you discuss your take on the company’s corporate culture?
- What are the company’s values?
- How would you characterize the management philosophy of this organization? Of your department?
- Does the organization support ongoing training and education for employees to stay current in their fields?
- Why did you come to work here? What keeps you here?
- Is there a formal process for advancement within the organization?
- What are the traits and skills of people who are the most successful within the organization?
Learn more about corporate culture by reading this article published on Quintessential Careers: Uncovering a Company’s Corporate Culture is a Critical Task for Job-Seekers.
Gigi writes:
I am in a job that is unfulfilling and I see no growth or development opportunities for me. For the last two years I have been searching for another position. I have had a few interviews, but no job offers. I do not know why I am not getting any job offers. I interview well and my qualifications are very good. I am so unhappy in my present job that I am ready to resign! I have voiced my concerns to management only to have them negated and ignored. More importantly, I am concerned that I am not getting any offers, especially because my qualifications are very good. Can you please give me some suggestions on what I can do to increase my likelihood of getting a job offer?
I hate to break this news to you, but I sense someone needs to do so. You have a problem, and while I can’t say for certain without more information, I would point the finger at your ego and your attitude.
It’s important for job-seekers to be confident, but I can tell you right now you most likely do NOT have good interviewing skills if you are not getting to the next level. Now, it is slightly possible that you work in an environment where everyone knows everyone else and the gossip mills have branded you a trouble-maker or whiner, but if that were the case you would not even be getting any interviews. It’s also possible that you are not following-up each interview with a thank-you letter and showing your ongoing interest in the employer.
So, I think your job-search strategies must be solid. You must write decent cover letters and resumes, so it’s time to take a hard look at your interviewing skills. Here are your options:
- Ask a mentor to conduct a mock interview with you to critique your skills.
- Contact a career professional and work on developing/enhancing your interviewing skills.
- Contact one of the hiring managers that passed on you and ask (in a very non-confrontational manner) if s/he would be willing to give you some honest feedback.
Rebecca writes:
I have a question regarding interviews. I currently have a full time job, but am looking for something new. Unfortunately, in just the few phone calls I have made, it seems as though most companies interview between 9 and 5. How should I handle this? Is it rude to try to make an appointment for earlier or later? For companies near my office, I can schedule an interview during my lunchtime, but some places that are farther away might take half a day of travel. I only have a limited amount of vacation time, and while one or two days for a viable job option would be fine, I don’t want to waste all my vacation days on jobs that might not pan out! What is the typical protocol on this?
Yours is a very common misconception among job-seekers. Many, if not most, employers are willing to work around the schedule of their top candidates. Thus, many employers are willing to schedule before- and after-hours job interviews… and some will even sacrifice the lunch hour to schedule interviews. So, when you get to that point of scheduling interviews, simply ask the employer for a convenient time for both of you.
As for the employment opportunities where the prospective employer is located some distance from where you work and live… that’s a different issue. It’s obvious for these interviews, you will need to burn a personal day or vacation day. No question. But you can avoid using up all those days by being very selective in applying for jobs that require that kind of commitment. Remember, you should be taking a narrow approach to your job-search, selectively choosing only the best opportunities in terms of fit with the job and employer. Don’t waste your time or a prospective employer’s time by applying for jobs that you really have little interest in. And don’t ever use sick days to go on job interviews; it is not only unethical, but could come back to haunt you if discovered.
One other strategy to follow if you have several out-of-town opportunities, assuming they are in the same far-off city, is to attempt to schedule all of them in a two-day period… that way you can get them done in two days while spending the night there and staying fresh and focused on your task at hand.
David writes:
I am aware that I should not say anything negative about a former employer. However, I quit my job because of procedural disagreements with my boss that we had discussed several times. He agreed he was partly to blame for our difficulties. He and my former company are great otherwise. I have taken some time away and am now ready to job-hunt again.
The questions I want to be very careful with are, “Why did you leave your former job?” “Why did you leave before you found another one?”
Kudos to you for knowing some of the rules of interviewing — never say anything negative about your former bosses/employers and always anticipate questions so that you can prepare answers ahead of time.
Are you staying in the same career field or switching careers?
If you are stating in the same field… My standard answer for the why did you leave your last job is to focus on your accomplishments and make some sort of statement that you had reached your maximum contribution level to the company and there was no room for you to move within the company so you were forced to seek opportunities elsewhere where you could make a significant contribution.
And if they ask why you left before you had a new job, there are any number of responses, from not wanting to distract from your job… but the bigger issue may be the gap in time from the end of your last job to now — and you need to be prepared to discuss what you have been doing, and a good answer does not involve any comments about burn-out or the need for an extended vacation. Always put a spin on the positive; you needed time to research the next best career step — and the best employers.
If you are switching careers… then your answer to why you left your previous job becomes moot because you can simply state you left it to pursue a career change into your new career field. And as for the gap, you have hopefully been consulting, volunteering, or otherwise getting your foot in the door of your new career field and perhaps gotten more training or education…
As I always say, never lie in an interview, but always remember that the interview is a sales call, where you are selling the prospective employer on why you should be hired.
Get lots more tips, tools, and resources in this section of Quintessential Careers: Guide to Job Interviewing Resources.
Lorna writes:
I interviewed with a prospective employer last Thursday for a customer representative job. During the interview, I felt really confident and thought that I made a good impression with the interviewer. Today, I received a letter from the employer stating that the position that I interviewed for was not the best for my qualifications. I would like to ask you if it is appropriate for me to call them and ask the “particular” reason I did not get the job. This is the first job interview that I failed to get hired. I feel that I have done something wrong. Please advise.
Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I hope to hear from you soon.
First, I am amazed you heard back from the employer so quickly. Should you follow up? Sure! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Call the person you interviewed with and ask both for a critique of the interview as well as why you are not a good fit for the job. If nothing else, you may gain some insights about how you portray yourself or your skills — and perhaps, just perhaps, the employer will reconsider and ask you back because of your initiative.
But remember, also take the feedback with a grain of salt — this is just ONE person’s opinion about you… so be careful of putting too much stock into his/her words. If he/she identifies some potential flaws, ask a close friend or colleague to conduct a mock interview with you and give you more feedback.
Also be prepared to not get your questions answers; many employers won’t answer this kind of question for fear of lawsuits.
One final comment. You have been very lucky that all your previous job interviews resulted in a job offer; I know very few job-seekers who could claim such a record — so even having just one rejection is still a pretty remarkable track record.
Best of luck to you. I know you will continue to have job-search success in the future — especially if you keep trying to improve yourself.
Find lots of other good job interviewing tools, articles, and question databases in this section of Quintessential Careers: Guide to Job Interviewing Resources.
June writes:
I might go for an interview in near future. I would like to make a success with my interview, and hope you can provide me with detail to prepare myself.
I think the most important thing to remember about job interviews is that they are basically a sales situation. You, as the job-seeker, must make a strong sales pitch about how you are the perfect person for the job — and then you need to close the deal by getting the job offer. I know a lot of job-seekers get uncomfortable thinking of having to sell themselves to prospective employers, but that’s really the truth of it. But remember that selling is not all about you, it’s also doing the proper research to fully understand the employer and his/her needs … so be sure and do your research. And by the way, the employer also sees the interview as a sales tool — trying to sell you on the position and the firm.
Within that framework, here are some other important do’s and don’ts of interview:
- Do your research and know the type of job interview you will be encountering. And do prepare and practice for the interview, but don’t memorize your answers.
- Do bring extra resumes to the interview.
- Do make good eye contact with your interviewer(s). And do smile.
- Do show enthusiasm in the position and the company.
- Don’t be soft-spoken. A forceful voice projects confidence.
- Do have a high confidence and energy level, but don’t be overly aggressive.
- Don’t act as though you would take any job or are desperate for employment.
- Don’t answer questions with a simple “yes” or “no.” Explain whenever possible. Describe those things about yourself that showcase your talents, skills, and determination. Give examples. Tell stories.
- Do close the interview by telling the interviewer(s) that you want the job and asking about the next step in the process.
Read more in my article, published on Quintessential Careers: Job Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts.
And for lots more tools, advice, and resources on all aspects and all types of interviews, go to this section of Quintessential Careers: Guide to Job Interviewing Resources.
Irene writes:
I’ve been unemployed for a month and just accepted a “temp to perm” position this past Friday.
Here’s the catch: I’ve already received two more calls for much better positions (after accepting the temp job). One is through a family member, and I am sure to get that position. The other is also a good possibility. With a potential few interviews during my first week of the “temp to perm” job … how do I pull all of this off? The temp position is 99 percent likely to go perm with good attendance, etc, etc…and it’s an 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. position. Is there a way to schedule interviews around this? (especially when I have to dress up?)
I have always advised my clients that job-hunting is often very streaky … one often goes long periods of nothing happening — and then it all seems to happen at once. And now you are faced with a number of decisions.
First, what is the ethical thing to do? Since you have accepted this new position and have already started working there, do you abandon it so quickly because other opportunities have arisen? My opinion is that there is certainly no harm in interviewing, but if you get offers from both new opportunities, that’s a different decision.
Second, what’s the best career opportunity for you? My advice is always to follow the opportunity that willgive you the greatest satisfaction or do the greatest good for your career — in the long-term. Which of the three jobs is best for you?
Third, how can you go on job interviews when you are working all day? You have a couple of options. You can ask for earlier — or later — than normal interview times (such as 7:30 or 5:30). Or, you can try and interview over your lunch break. Or, if those options fail, you can show up late or leave early (and change to interviewing clothes away from your current job).
And, finally, if you do interview and get a job offer from one or both places and you decide to take one of them, you would certainly not put the current job on your resume; it would just disappear as though it never existed (as you would do with any short-term stint).
Darby writes:
I just had an over-the-phone job interview with a children’s museum this morning. I felt the interview did not go as well as I would have liked. The interviewer was rather rigid, and I felt the questions he asked did not probe into my strong points very well. I have a feeling they may be “using” me to show they are looking for a candidate “far and wide,” when in reality I do know they have people from within that are applying for the job. I would like to make a trip up to the museum to look around, and also to prove my sincerity. 1) But am I wasting my time? (It would be a 6-hour drive each way; I’d have to take off work, etc.)
I am going to send a “thank you for the interview” email, and 2) what can I do to emphasize my competency in the area of management at that time? I am pretty sure the interviewer and I did not get into sync in that matter. (I had just had another interview with another employer that did not focus as much on management skills [more about ME], and it was more off-the-cuff. I was offered the job, but the logistics of relocating there weren’t ideal, so I turned it down. I think I was drawing too much from that interview during the recent children’s museum one.)
First, you have to remember that most people are not good interviewers. Add interviewing over the phone, and the number declines even more. So, don’t sweat it too much. Plus, often times the weaker interviews (in our minds) turn into something while interviews where we feel like we excelled end up dead-ends.
Do write a thank-you letter highlighting all the ways you are perfect for the job. If you know the qualifications, you could even write a two-column letter, where the left column lists the qualifications and the right column lists what you offer. If you do brainstorm even more ideas, send it along as a supplemental sheet — “Darby’s Ideas for the Children’s Museum.”
I wouldn’t jump in my car just yet, but in the thank-you letter, you can make the offer — and then in a follow-up phone call next week, you can mention your strong interest in the position and the possibility you may be in the area…and then judge the reaction. If it sounds insincere, perhaps they are just going through the motions with you, but if they sound interested in you stopping by — and this is a job that really interests you — then see if you can arrange to “drop by.”
Damage control is not negative; interviews are just going to be awkward at times… and there are going to be situations where you feel you need to emphasize your talents in writing…
Keep at it — and keep at other opportunities as well.
Read more about thank-you letters in this article published on Quintessential Careers: FAQs About Thank You Letters.
And for dealing with any future phone interviews, check out this article on Quintessential Careers: Proper Phone Interview Etiquette Can Propel You to the Next Step in the Hiring Process.
Anonymous writes:
I am very grateful for the material you have on interviewing techniques on your Website. However, I am still not very clear on the recommended closing statements in an interview. I will be very happy if provide me some of the recommended closing statements in an interview.
Let me recap the interviewing strategy. At the end of a successful interview — where you feel you have sold the prospective employer on your talents and abilities — don’t just say thanks and walk out the door. Instead, consider one of two options: ask about the next steps in the process and the employer’s timetable, or, for those a bit more aggressive, ask for the job.
If you truly sense a fit between you and the organization, then, by all means, at the end of the interview, ask for the position. But, please, do so only if you really want the job — and only if you plan to accept if the employer does indeed make the offer.
So, how do you making a closing statement in a job interview?
The safe route: “I really sense a strong fit between your needs and what I can deliver for you. I think there is a great fit between us and I am very interested in this position. Can you give me a rough idea of the next steps in this process, along with your timetable for filling the position?”
The bolder move: “I really sense a strong fit between your needs and what I can deliver for you. I want this position and I truly feel I am your best candidate. I want to start contributing as soon as possible, so when can I expect a job offer?”
Get lots more information about interviewing, including our interview question database, in the Interviewing Resources section of Quintessential Careers.
And for other strategies in closing the sale, read one of our latest articles: The Job Interview as Sales Call: Three Essential Interview Skills
Nadine writes:
I have a problem. My resume is selling me to employers, but when it comes to the time of the interview — I seem to be “shooting myself in the foot.” I do research the company beforehand, and after the interview, I send the thank-you card — but I never get the job offer. What I am doing wrong? Do you have any suggestions?
Without actually observing you in an interview situation, I can’t say for certain, but my sense is that you are having a problem during the job interview. If you are getting job interviews, then your job-search strategy and resumes and cover letters seem to be working. And if you are following up your interviews with thank-you notes, then you are also doing that part correctly. That leaves the job interview itself (most likely) or that you are not doing enough follow-up after the interview.
If you make it to the interview, you have passed the first test, but there’s still a lot you need to do to show the employer you are the best candidate for the position. You have to go into the interview and sell your unique mix of skills, accomplishments, and education to the employer. You have to convince the employer you are better than all the other candidates. And you have to do all that with a positive and upbeat personality.
What’s wrong with your interviewing style? Perhaps nothing. Perhaps you are just having a dry spell. But I suggest you contact one of the people you recently interviewed with — whom you felt you had good rapport — and ask that person to critique your interview style so that you can learn and become better at interviewing. Most people, when asked, will give you an honest appraisal. And you need to know how to improve.
Remember that most employers say the most important elements of a job interview are: a firm handshake, strong eye contact, a confident attitude, and a warm smile. You also need to be sure you dress properly — and, of course, have strong answers to all the interview questions. You should also have a few questions to ask of the employer.
Finally, besides writing thank-you notes — which work well to remind the employer who you are — it’s also important to regularly follow-up, about once a week, to continue to show your interest in the job — especially as hiring time continues to get longer and longer.
Two of our articles may help you with your interviewing technique:
- The Job Interview as Sales Call: Three Essential Interview Skills
- Make a Lasting Impression at Job Interviews Using Questions
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