Tough questions to ask a prospective employer
Discussion
Does anyone have any suggestions for tough questions to ask a prospective employer/line manager?
I need some questions that will give me a good feel of the support/guidance I'd get within the role and the culture of the department, I need questions that are more about how the question is reacted too and how its answered than particularly the content of the answer.
I need some questions that will give me a good feel of the support/guidance I'd get within the role and the culture of the department, I need questions that are more about how the question is reacted too and how its answered than particularly the content of the answer.
hajaba123 said:
What's the industry/ role?
Do you actually want the job or to come across in a particular way?
industry/role isn't really important.Do you actually want the job or to come across in a particular way?
Im already in a very similar role, ive been asked to apply for the role in a different department, id like to get an idea of the abilities of the line manager in this department, I already have an idea as I often collaborate with him, but I see challenges with the relationship and as his line manager will be in the interview too id like some challenging questions that might highlight this.
These questions need to be as general as possible as I clearly don't want to appear to be creating conflict or pushing specific themes
So i'm just after some generic but tough interview questions.
I think this is best if you work out what's important to you, then somehow blurt it out or find a way to crowbar it into conversation
This that were important to me interviewing in my last job were
- Will I be micro managed
- Will I have to travel more than 30% of my time
- Will I need to spend my own money on big ticket things and then reclaim them or will there be a company card/purchase system
- Will there be holiday allowances over statutory
Ultimately, I wanted to know, am I working for
s that dont care, or am I walking into a likeminded organisation aiming in the same direction
Once you've worked out what it is you want, then figure out how you need to drop it in.
In my case, a leading question of 'how would you describe the travel policy' and 'what's usually the best way you've found to get the most from your guys' gives people an opportunity to open up.
You can also guage it yourself. People talk in senses, they either feel or think something. I feel that....I think that....so you can knock that back to them. 'Do you feel it's important that.....'
I think what you actually want to ask is 'how do you support your employees in their advancement' though, then sit back and wait for their thoughts. Dont ask them something they can just say yes or no to
This that were important to me interviewing in my last job were
- Will I be micro managed
- Will I have to travel more than 30% of my time
- Will I need to spend my own money on big ticket things and then reclaim them or will there be a company card/purchase system
- Will there be holiday allowances over statutory
Ultimately, I wanted to know, am I working for
s that dont care, or am I walking into a likeminded organisation aiming in the same directionOnce you've worked out what it is you want, then figure out how you need to drop it in.
In my case, a leading question of 'how would you describe the travel policy' and 'what's usually the best way you've found to get the most from your guys' gives people an opportunity to open up.
You can also guage it yourself. People talk in senses, they either feel or think something. I feel that....I think that....so you can knock that back to them. 'Do you feel it's important that.....'
I think what you actually want to ask is 'how do you support your employees in their advancement' though, then sit back and wait for their thoughts. Dont ask them something they can just say yes or no to
Edited by andy-xr on Wednesday 3rd June 14:16
"How often do you fk up?"
DJRC's first rule - everybody fks up, everyday, at everything. Incompetence is default, usefulness is the exception. So, place him in the position of incompetence and challenge him to define himself within that context.
Never do a job interview that where you care more about getting the job than they care about hiring you.
k up?"DJRC's first rule - everybody f
ks up, everyday, at everything. Incompetence is default, usefulness is the exception. So, place him in the position of incompetence and challenge him to define himself within that context.Never do a job interview that where you care more about getting the job than they care about hiring you.
When you write about "abilities of the line manager", what does that mean to you?
Anyone can fire off some generic 'hard' questions but if it's something related to behaviour or competency why don't you be constructive rather than potentially aggressive with your questioning and use, as is normal in most interviews, a simple competency/scenario based question to cover the aspect of management you want to open up?
Anyone can fire off some generic 'hard' questions but if it's something related to behaviour or competency why don't you be constructive rather than potentially aggressive with your questioning and use, as is normal in most interviews, a simple competency/scenario based question to cover the aspect of management you want to open up?
Very strange question.
Do you suspect that this organisation has a particular problem and wish to probe that further?
Often asking about staff turnover and the reasons they believe it is high or low can be illuminating. Just as some employees seem to have bad luck with always ending up working for unreasonable managers who dislike them for their competence, so many managers seem to have a high turnover because everyone they hire is incompetent and lazy.
Do you suspect that this organisation has a particular problem and wish to probe that further?
Often asking about staff turnover and the reasons they believe it is high or low can be illuminating. Just as some employees seem to have bad luck with always ending up working for unreasonable managers who dislike them for their competence, so many managers seem to have a high turnover because everyone they hire is incompetent and lazy.
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