Cubicle 101: 15 questions to ask during a job interview, decoded

August 6, 12:30 AMLife in the Cubicle ExaminerDudley B. Dawson

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Thanks to this ancient decoding script, we now know
the purpose behind asking employers certain questions
during an interview.

It's common knowledge that a candidate needs to ask questions during an interview if they are going to be taken seriously.  Unfortunately, the questions that experts suggest asking often skim the surface of what you truly want to find out about the company. 

To help people with these questions, 15 of the suggested questions are decoded below to shed light on what you truly want answered.
 

#1 - The future of the company

Expert's suggestion:
Does the company plan to grow in the near future? 

Actual question:
Are you going to close the doors within the next 5 years, and if that does happen, will you pay your employees before the doors shut?

#2 - The future of the industry

Expert's suggestion:
Will this industry continue to be strong in the near and distant future?

Actual question:
How do you plan to deal with the fact that no one will want to purchase your product/service in 3 years?

#3 - Information about competitors

Expert's suggestion:
How do you rank among your competitors?

Actual question:
What do your competitors do better than this company and why isn't this company capable of doing it?

#4 - Position availability

Expert's suggestion:
Why is this position available now?

Actual question:
Why did the previous employee quit, or why did you fire the last employee?

#5 - Skill set they are looking to gain from the new hire

Expert's suggestion:
What skills are you looking your new hire to have that don't already exist in the department?

Actual question:
Of the skills listed on the job ad, how many of them are actually relevant to the position?

#6 - The purpose of the department within the company

Expert's suggestion:
How does the company fit into the company's operations?

Actual question:
How many departments are there within this company that do almost the exact same thing as your department?  In other words, will this department be eliminated and thus I will be laid off?

#7 - Career options in the department

Expert's suggestion:
What type of career path options are there within the department?

Actual question:
Is this position a dead-end job?

#8 - Career options within the company

Expert's suggestion:
What type of options does the company offer for lateral moves?

Actual question:
There is a high likelihood I will hate this job.  Is there any way to transfer to new jobs once I hate the position?  What about when I hate the next position?

#9 - Daily responsibilities

Expert's suggestion:
Could you describe the daily activities or responsibilities of the job -- a typical day in the life of this position?

Actual question:
Could you talk about the job some more while I try to think of more questions?

#10 - Immediate expectations

Expert's suggestion:
What are the expectations of this position during the first three months on the job?

Actual question:
Will I be expected to work hard during the first quarter of my employment or will I be able to drag out my inexperience as an excuse for my ineffectiveness?

#11 - Evaluating performance

Expert's suggestion:
What is the evaluation process at the company and how often are employees evaluated?

Actual question:
How easy is it to get away with doing as little as possible?

#12 - Interviewer's opinion

Expert's suggestion:
Have you enjoyed your experience thus far at the company? Why?

Actual question:
What sucks about this company?

#13 - Pay range

Expert's suggestion:
[Experts do not suggest asking this question.]

Actual question:
Why is it such a friggen secret how much this position pays?

#14 - Benefits

Expert's suggestion:
What type of standard and fringe benefits are offered to employees?

Actual question:
Can you please explain why the pay is so incredibly low for this position?

#15 - Next steps

Expert's suggestion:
What are the next steps in the interview process?

Actual question:
Are you going to friggen hire me after this interview or what?

Sources used for this article:
The best questions to ask in an interview, CareerBuilder.com
Questions to ask employers during an interview, Virginia Tech
Questions you should ask in your interview, Pam Pohly's Net Guide
 

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Cubicle 101 is a recurring article in Dudley B. Dawson's Life in the Cubicle column.  Want to read more Cubicle 101 stories?  Click here!

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