Be Prepared

Be Prepared
What information do you need to decide whether to work at this company? Make a list of at
least 10 questions to take with you to the interview. Depending on who is interviewing you,
your questions should vary.
• If you are interviewing with the hiring manager, ask questions about the job, the
desired qualities and the challenges.
• If you are interviewing with the human resources manager, ask about the company
and the department.
• If you are interviewing with management, ask about the industry and future
projections. This is your chance to demonstrate your industry knowledge.
Timing Is Important
You will have to use your judgment about the number of questions you ask and when to ask
them. Think of this as a conversation. There will be an appropriate time to ask certain types of
questions, like those about benefits and vacation. To be on the safe side, it is best to
concentrate on questions about the job's responsibilities and how you fit the position until you
get the actual offer.
When you begin to think of the interview as a two-way process, you will see it is important for
you to find out as much as possible about the company. Questions will give you the
opportunity to find out if this is a good place for you to work before you say "Yes."