Prior to an interview, it is important to have questions ready for the interviewer, as you will likely be asked at the end of the interview if you have questions. Having ready questions signals to the employer that you are prepared, and shows your interest in the position. If all of your questions have been answered during the interview process, then explaining that you came prepared with a list of questions that were already answered is helpful, yet it is more effective to generate a question from content in the interview if this is the case.

Example questions for an interviewer:

What are the goals of the company in the next five years? Ten years?

What is the financial health of the company? Have there been layoffs recently?

Can you tell me about the company culture?

What are the company's strong points? Weak points?

What do you like most about your job? Least?

What would you change about your job or the company?

What are the key skills of workers in this position?

To whom will I report? Will I manage any workers? If so, may I meet them?

How frequently are performance reviews held? How will my performance be measured?

What are the work hours?

Will I be expected to work additional hours to complete projects?

Is travel required for this position? If so, how much and to where?

Does the company offer reimbursement for continuing education or recertification?

What type of advancement opportunities will I have?

Do you have management training or mentorship programs in place?

When may I expect to hear from you regarding the position?

Cam Report Facts and Trends, October 15, 2007