TEN QUESTIONS NOT TO ASK IN AN INTERVIEW

In a Recent Forbes Article, a writer with less than stellar foresight advised the world “10 Questions” that you should / could / might ask in an interview.

DON’T ASK THOSE QUESTIONS – you’ll find yourself out on the street faster than yesterday’s trash. Not that you shouldn’t ask interview response questions, but it’s all in “How You Ask.”

As opposed to asking “What happened to the last person in this job? Are they still with the company? I'd love to hear that story -- the story about how this job became available.”

I bet you would, and if that person were terminated for cause, you could find yourself on the curb just as fast. You’re not a peer to the interviewer; you’re still on the outside looking in. They’re not going to get all chummy with you and tell you how the previous employee got tossed to the curb for failure to perform / failure to deliver.

A better way to ask – “As compared to the last person to hold this position, what are you looking for in terms of performance that you necessarily didn’t see previously?”

As opposed to saying “What is the typical career path for someone in this role?”

Always remember, no two people are alike.

A better way to ask – “For individuals who deliver stellar results, what type of mentoring and fast-tracking have you witnessed in the company during your tenure?”

As opposed to asking “What will be the highest priority project or initiative for your new hire?”

A better way to ask – “What issues do you see us having to deal with in the next 12 – 18 months?”

And this is where they will tell you all their pain points, and you can fill in the blanks with examples of how you handled these tasks in the past.

As opposed to asking “What are the principal metrics by which your new hire will be evaluated? How are his or her goals established?”

What’s the problem, you can’t think on your feet and adapt quickly to change?” Don’t leave yourself open to getting marginalized.

A better way to ask – “Who would be working with me in establishing goals and what type of incentives are in place for when I surpass those goals?”

Always set yourself up with the expectation of success

As opposed to asking “What are the biggest issues or obstacles you expect your new hire to face”…..

Never approach from the negative; it paints you as a pessimist and under achiever.

A better way to ask – "What professional work challenges would you like to see me surpass in order to be recognized as a top performer on your team? "

Always paint a picture of success and achievement; you’ve got the talent; always “sell to the close.” Always “presume that you have the job.” People love being around positive people.

Never ask “What is the likelihood of working from home in this job?”

Always remember, out of sight, out of mind. Those furthest away from the pinnacle of power are seen as obsolete and expendable when cuts are made.

A better way to ask – "If in the event of inclement weather, is there remote access to my desk if I need to be away from the office?"

Never ask “What constitutes a normal workday?”

It makes you sound like a clock watcher. If you need to know what the normal work/life balance is, look it up on Glassdoor

A better way to ask – “I like to spend time after hours with my family and I have a life out of work; are there instances where this would be a challenge to the work load that you anticipate?”

Always presume the positive while soft-stepping around issues that can be seen as sensitive.

As a professional, you are expected to be the epitome of style and class. They’re not hiring just anybody, but those who they determine to be the best and brightest. Polish and style take time to deliver, and that starts in the interview.

Be careful not to get chummy, overly friendly or personable with your interviewer. You are there to deliver a service with skills that should far surpass anything they have seen with anybody else.

Never take it for granted that you are the best there is. In all likelihood you have significant competition, and if they mistakenly ask the “Ten Questions You Never Knew You Could Ask In A Job Interview” you, having read the suggestions presented here, will have an offer letter, and they will have another rejection (flush) letter, waiting in their e-mail inbox.