SMART Job Seeker Cheat Sheet: Interview Questions to Ask an Employer

By Mary Salvino, Career Management Coach

Given that the interview process is an opportunity for both the candidate and the hiring manager get a sense of the right ‘fit’ in terms of organizational culture, job fit, and technical fit for him or her and that it is easy for a hiring manager to detect if a candidate is fully engaged in the interview or appears to be going through the motions, any candidate who probes and asks questions of substance is viewed as a more engaged candidate.   

This easy-to-use cheat sheet pulls together the best tips, tricks, and advice from our archives.  It has been created to provide suggestions related to common questions that job seekers could ask of the hiring manager during or at the end of an interview:

• Why did the person who previously held this job leave the position?
• What are the training and development opportunities?
• How would you describe the management style of the person or people to whom I will be reporting?
• How would you describe the organizational culture?
• How long have you been working here?
• What do you like about working here?
• What don’t you like about working here?
• If I am extended an offer, how soon would you like me to start?

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Copyright © 2013, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Show you care and share this article with your colleagues, coworkers and friends. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2013, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog authored by Mary Salvino, the Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning. It is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future career opportunities. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please send an e-mail to Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca.