By Dorcas Karuana,
Many of the job seekers are quick to take an offer that comes their way as long as it attracts their interest. They allow themselves to become charmed by the company culture, name, the personality of the hiring decision makers, the nature of the business or product/services being offered, the income, the geographical location, or any one or multiple influences that quickens the job candidate to say “YES” to the official job offer.
But that can sometimes spell trouble or delay to a career. Before accepting any job offer, ask the questions below either before the interview, during the interview or after the interview. As a job seeker you should get the answers to these questions before uttering the word “YES,” should a job offer be extended.
When you receive the first call before the in-person interview:
1.Whom will I be interviewing with?
Sometimes the job advertisement may be by a recruitment firm or the actual client. In either case, find out who is interviewing and if it is a panel or not. This helps you to adequately prepare for an interview; you’ll likely have different questions for the hiring manager than you would for the entire team or the department head. You’ll also want to do some research on the interviewers so you can ask them personalized, insightful questions.
2.What does the opportunity involve? E.g. Commission sales or purchase of a sales kit?
Sometimes you could have registered your CV with an agency or somebody referred you to the job. Therefore, you may get a call out of the blue for a position you never expressed interest in, you have a right to be skeptical. If the position sounds confusing or the description is too vague, dig deeper.
During the interview:
3. What are your short- and long-term goals for the position?
Employers will probably ask about your career goals, but you should ask them what they want the person in this position to achieve. Are they concerned with increasing revenue, visibility, leads, improving morale or any number of other things? You want to know that they have a purpose for this position and aren’t just looking for a temporary solution.
4. Can you tell me why the last person left this job?
They might not tell you, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. If the person got promoted or took a better job elsewhere, that’s a sign that the position is a good way to advance a career.
5. Who are the primary people I’ll be working with on a daily basis?
Where does this role fit in the overall structure of the team and the business? Will you interact with people who can help your career? Will you spend most of your days in silence, typing on a computer? All that matters is that you receive an answer that appeals to you.
6. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the person taking this role?
No position is perfect. In fact, some jobs are created to address a problem that needs to be solved. That could very well be what attracted you to the job. An honest employer will tell you what struggles lie ahead. That’s your opportunity to turn the answer around as a challenge you’re happy to accept and present some ideas of how you would tackle the obstacles. If the employer makes it sound too good to be true, it probably is.
7. Do you have any doubts about my fit for the position? I’d be glad to clear anything up for you.
Not all interviewers ask direct questions or are even very good at interviewing, so you might have to prompt them to tell you what their concerns are. Now is the only chance you have to clarify anything, so make sure you leave no question unanswered.
8.What is the timeline for filling the position?
You deserve to know when a decision might be made and what the next steps are. Hiring managers have a rough idea of how long the interviewing process will take, whether candidates will have to come back for another interview, and when a decision will be made. It might not be exact, but at least you have an idea of what to expect. This will give you time to give enough notice for your resignation.
After the interview:
9. Have you made a decision? (If the given deadline has passed)
If the hiring manager says it will be a week before you hear back, wait an extra day or two (or even three). Then follow up to see if a decision has been made. A quick email to ask how the process is going is enough. Don’t pester her and don’t show up at the office — that won’t win you any points.
10. Do you have any recommendations for how I could improve my interviewing skills?
Most job seekers forget to ask this. It helps you work on your failures so that you are ready for another interview. If you don’t get the position, you’ll be disappointed, but use it as an opportunity to improve your interviewing skills. Some employers won’t give you tips, but others might give you feedback that will help you on the next interview.
An interview should be an interaction between the candidate and hiring manager. As a candidate, you are interviewing employers just as much as they’re interviewing you. Have a list of questions ready before you start. You don’t need to ask these questions to look good to the employer; you need to ask them to learn about the employer.
Dorcas is the head of recruitment at Corporate Manpower East Africa Ltd. Email: dorcas(@)corporatemanpower.co.ke