What to Ask at the End of the Interview

by Alanna Shaikh · 2009-06-17 08:56:00 UTC
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(photo credit -bast-)

In last week's discussion of job interviews, Evie Romero Montoya mentioned that she never knows what to ask when they say "Do you have any questions for us?" Since having some follow-up questions proves your interest in the position, you need to be ready with something. These are my standard questions. I have a lot of them, because I look at the interview as a chance to decide if the job is right for me.

1.       What do you think that [organization name] could be doing better?

2.       Why are you hiring externally for this job instead of promoting internally? (This one can sound combative, so only use it if you're sure the situation is right.)

3.       What does [organization] do that you're most proud of?

4.       [if you're being interviewed by a program person] What do you like most about working here? (I really like asking this question, because sometimes the answers are really surprising. I also once got an answer so good it convinced me to take a job I wasn't sure about, and that was a good decision.)

5.       Mention a recent news article/blog post/press release about the organization, and ask for more details. Sample "So, I just saw that the World Food Programme has a new blog written by its field staff. Is that a brand new social media initiative, or an extension of existing work?"

6.       How long have you worked for [organization]. How long do you plan to stay?

7.       What major challenges do you think [organization] is facing?

8.       How would you describe the organizational culture here?

9.       How long does an average employee stay here? (This can be a very revealing question. If the answer is "a year or two," that's a bad sign.)

10.   What does [organization] value in its employees? (Good answers are things like initiative and commitment. Bad answers are things like loyalty and good judgment.)

What do you think? Are these useful? Does anyone else have favorite questions they ask in interviews?

Alanna Shaikh
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