The Job Interview Conversation: A two way exploration
August 30, 2010 by admin
Filed under Job Interview
What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? What motivates you? What are your short and long term goals?
Do these sound like questions from a job interview? If they do, then that’s because they are. But are these the only questions that should be asked?
A job interview is almost always assumed to be an examination of the candidate vying for the job, and while that is true in most part there is also an element of analyzing the employer.
With the advent of the internet and rise of social networking, candidates are expected to know a great deal about their prospective employer before going for the interview. A recent study showed that over 90% of the interviewers believe that the candidates they interview have a good idea about the culture of the firm and the responsibilities expected off them.
Even if you keep this statistic aside, you should always, ALWAYS, research the company you are applying to and if you’re short listed for an interview, spend a significant amount of time reading about the role and learning about the organization from any available resources (friends, company website, job forums, social networking sites).
Having said that, outside sources may not always be accurate. Sometimes estimates are acceptable but some questions need accurate information. For example, it is acceptable to know that the approximate strength ot the organization is 5000 employees, but if you are not sure whether they follow a 5 day work week or a 6 day work week it may be necessary to get that clarified.
You should have an open conversation with the interviewer. It not only provides clarity but also gives a lot of confidence. Being part of the conversation reduces stress and calms the nerves; this in turn will make you answer the questions with confidence and self assurance. It’s a sure benefit that you should practice without fail.
One prominent HR Talent Recruiter opines that asking questions shows interest and commitment towards the organization and the job. This is because when you ask about the organization’s future plans and growth strategy, it shows that you are aiming at a long career with the employer.
Relevant questions could revolve around the organizational strategy and direction, and could also be individual specific. For example, asking about one’s specific career graph in the role is a vital piece of information. No matter how structured your work may be and even if it is clear that the next promotion will be after one year, you should always ask how you will be judged and what you must keep in mind for superior performance.
It is necessary to repeat here that general information which is freely available should have been researched and you should bring that into your conversation. Many a time during an interview I have been asked,
What is the niche of the organization? What is its main business?
While this may seem like a not-to-be-asked question, there may be cases where the candidate is unclear. Do you then ask such a question or not?
If you have done your research before the interview, you will know the broad businesses that the organization is part of. Show first that you have done your research and then ask a follow-up question. In the above example, the question could have been stated as,
The organization is into retail and wholesale business with an emerging presence in the corporate sector; as there is stiff competition in the corporate sector, is that where the organization wants to carve a niche for itself?
There are ways of asking questions and showing that you have done the requisite amount of research for the interview, but the bottom line remains that the job interview is a conversation and you are part of it.
Some suggested questions include;
* What are the organization’s future plans of growth
* How does this branch/office compare to the others
* Is this a new role that you are offering or am I going to be replacing someone
* What criteria will my performance be judged on
* Can you tell me about the culture of the team I am going to be part of? How is it different from the rest of the organization
* Does the job require travel / work in shifts (if not mentioned in the job description)
Read the original article at articlesbase
This is a common pit fall for all aspiring employee. Thanks for this article