Questions to ask at an Interview

Interview questions

The company

• What is it about the Company that makes people want to stay?/made you join & stay?
• What position does the company hold in the market place?
• What are the company's plans for the future?
• How many offices are there?
• How does the company encourage a coming together of staff through activities?

The department

• What exactly does the department do in terms of the overall company?
• What is the structure of the department?
• What are the ages of the people in the department?/ What age group are the other members of the department?
• What is/are the personality/ies of the people I would be working for/with?
• How closely does this department work with other areas of the company?
• How does this department compare in size to others within the organisation?
• To what extent do you encourage staff to interact between departments?

Training and appraisals

• What sort of training is offered to staff within the department?
• Is training provided in-house or are courses held externally?
• What training facilities are available within the department/company?
• How often do you hold meetings to assess the skills/abilities/progress of staff?

The job

• How would you describe a typical day for the person doing this job?
• Who is doing the job at the moment?
• What sort of handover will there be with the person who is currently doing this job?
• Why did the last person leave? Were they with you for a long time?
• What type of person are you looking for to fill this role?
• Who would I be reporting to?
• How long has the person I will be working for been here?
• How long would you expect a person to stay in this role?
• Will there be the opportunity to become involved and work on my own initiative?

Prospects
[Note: For specific/appropriate roles only]

• What structures are in place for career development?
• What are the promotional prospects?/What prospects are there for career progression?
• How do you encourage staff to progress within the company?
• What are the long term development opportunities for this role?

Interview Process

• At what stage of the interview process would I be able to see the office I would work in and meet other members of the department?
• When can I look around the department where I would be working?
• When do you think you will decide on your short list for second interviews?
• How many more people do you expect to interview for this position?
• When do you expect to be able to make a decision?