Got an interview on Tuesday for a job I really want. I’m after a few tips please. I’m always faced with the same old question at the end “Is there anything else you’d like to ask”? & I’m always stuck. What would be an intelligent question to put forward?

Also, I’ll be going up against a HR woman & the Works manager. Anything I should be looking out for or should be doin/saying?

cheers

Ask them where they see you in five years time. Or where they see the future of the company.

Best tip i was ever given, and has helped me get jobs, is be yourself, and be honest. That way you won’t get tripped up, and you’ll not be expected to do things you lied about being able to do.

Ask them what they like about the company and (assuming the job is in the private sector) what they feel sets them apart from their competitors.

Is there anything else that you want to cover to determine my suitability for the position?

It allows them to raise any uncertainties/ questions they may still have lingering about you and will give you the chance to end on a positive note about yourself.

The questions will probably form two distinct types. HR, general personality type questions and the role specific technical Qs from the works manager. Remember as well that usually, unless its for a mass recruitment event, the people interviewing you will probably have done even less prep than you will have! 😀

Ask questions that show you have thought about the role and being with the company for a while. Ask about appraisal processes, and what the career development will be. Ask about training and how that maps to the appraisal process.

And if you think they are well prepared and professional, think about the market they operate in and some of the key challenges their business faces, and ask how they are looking to address those challenges. This will show you have done your homework and are genuinely interested in the company. After all, you want to know you wont be working for a bunch of muppets.

Main thing is be yourself and you will be less stressed.

If there is a HR manager there then it will probably be a competency-based interview with some technical questions.

Have you ever had a competency-based interview before? They can feel a little bit strange at first, but if you are well prepared beforehand then you should be okay.

a school mate went for an interview and sneezed, a great big bogey landed on the desk inbetween him and the interviewer – DO NOT SNEEZE – he didn’t get the job

Remember that employment is a two-way thing, i.e. it’s not just about what you can do for them, but also what they can do for you.

IMO a lot of people fall down on this (unless they’re just desperate to get THAT job), and only ask about the role etc. All you’re doing here is helping the employer qualify whether you fit THEIR requirement. What you should be doing is also qualifying whether they fit YOUR requirement. By asking questions around this area you’ll soon decide if they really are the people you want to work for etc.

EDIT: I have an example of this at the moment: we’re recruiting for 2 sales positions and the MD wants one person (whom he kind of knows) in particular. Said person has already exclaimed how keen he is to join, but my concern is he sees it as a temporary role (he’s already jumped jobs once in the last 4 months and I know he’s unhappy where he is). Therefore when I meet him I’m going to qualify him as normal and wait to see if he then qualifies us back. If he doesn’t, then that tells me he’s looking short-term only (or is particularly short-sighted). In which case, I’ll help him qualify us by asking myself the questions he should be asking – and then gauge his response.

What is your development and succession planning policy / strategy?

Or in English – do you promote internally and if I’m good will I get a chance to step up to the next level or is this job the only one on offer without leaving and coming back?

Note – you need to watch exactly how you word it

As Ho Hum mentioned if HR are involved in the interview, there will probably be 5 or 6 competency based questions.

The best way to answer competency based questions is by using the “STAR” technique. By sticking to this method of answer you will be able to keep your response to the point and structure your answer effectively.

You will have to prepare, so look at the job description and have a guess at what sort of questions ie Give me an example when you used cost based analysis? or Give me an example where you have successfully negotiated?

Your answer should incorporate the following elements:

S – Situation – I was tasked to lead a project, when my previous employer decided to set up a new department.
T – Task – Describe what the particular task was – My responsibility was to ensure that the project was completed on time and on budget.
A – Action – Describe what you did – I negotiated with various stakeholders and I worked on sourcing alternative suppliers.
R – Result – Describe what the result was – The project was completed on time and came in a little under budget.

Add as much detail as is needed within each section. A couple of hours preparing and thinking about the questions they are likely to ask, really will help you. There is nothing worse than having to recall a situation to a question, when you haven’t prepared. Don’t use the same example for each question.

For more information on competency based questions, search in google.

Good Luck.

ask if they have any reservations about you at this stage – gives you an opportunity to eliminate them (the reservations not the interviewer, although….)

Yep with iDave,

Ask them “How do you assess my suitability for the position” .

Great one to put them on the back foot and make them think quite carefully about you. If they are a half decent employer they will answer it honnestly.