Interview the Interviewer
Bob Rosner
Q U E S T I O N: I always go into a job interview totally focused on how I'll answer their questions. But a friend recently reminded me that there is one very important question that they need to answer for me, "Do I want to work here?"
A N S W E R: "15 Injured in Kite Contests" was the title of a recent report on Britain's Independent TV. This unlikely headline was no mistake. A kite contest in Gujarat, India has gotten so competitive that participants use such tactics as coating twine with powdered glass to try to win the competition.
I'd hate to go into that kite contest not knowing what the ground rules were. It's no different when you're trying to get a job. You've got to put in as much energy trying to figure out if you want to work for them as they put into deciding if they want to hire you. I've listed key questions you need answered below. For more, check out Ron Fry's book "101 Smartest Questions to Ask in Your Interview" (Career Press, 2003).
Getting the Info
Can I do this job? All hubris aside, it is important to see if you have what it takes to do the job. Take a hard look at the job duties to see if you are capable of getting the job done.
Do I want to do this job? I can't tell you how many times people have written to me to say that they thought that their job would be very different than it turned out to be. See if you can talk to people actually doing the job to be sure that the job is something you want to do before you sit down for your interview.
Does this job fit with my long-range plans? There are times when you just need to take a job, any job. But it's much better to have a long-term goal in mind for your career and to use each job to get a bit closer to it.
Will I fit in? If the company doesn't include employees in the interview process, ask if you can get a tour of the facility so you can see where you'll actually work. This should give you a chance to meet some of your potential co-workers.
Can I live on what they want to pay? Your negotiating clout is at its maximum the moment they offer you the job and then it drops dramatically. I've heard from a lot of people who are frustrated that they didn't ask for more when the company wanted to hire them, so negotiate while you have the most leverage.
Do I feel secure working here? What are the future prospects for the company? Get a stock report, go check them out at your library, do a search for old newspaper articles and check out their Web site.
Find out everything you can about the company before your interview, you may decide to tell them to go fly a kite.
Bob Rosner is a best selling author, speaker and internationally syndicated columnist. His newest best seller, "GRAY MATTERS: The Workplace Survival Guide" (Wiley, 2004), is a business comic book that trades cynicism for solutions. Ask Bob a question: bob@workingwounded.com or http://graymattersbook.com
Source: Copyright © 2004 ABCNEWS Internet Ventures.
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