Interview Tips: Interviews Are a Two-Way Street

I recently looked up the definition of “job interview” online and this is what I found:

Dictionary.com said “an interview to determine whether an applicant is suitable for a job”;

Wikipedia defined it as “a process in which an employer evaluates a potential employee for possible employment with their company, organization, or firm. During this process, the employer hopes to determine whether the applicant is a good fit for the job.”

Several other sources reaffirmed the notion that interviews are for evaluating candidates, suggesting that control of the process rests solely with the hiring company. However, this is not really the case, as it is an opportunity for candidates to assess the suitability of the position on offer. When job applicants go into every interview with the mindset that their only responsibility is to prove themselves to the employer, they set themselves up for failure.

If you’re interviewing this summer for internships or graduate positions, make sure you’re candid in your questions so the interview flows more like a natural conversation than an exam. If you get to the end of an interview and are asked “Do you have any questions for me?” then you’ve left your career too late to figure out the intricacies of the role. Most people would use this as an opportunity to learn more about the qualities a successful candidate should possess and other necessary details of the position. However, if you find out the answers to such questions earlier in the interview, you can tailor your answers to suit the requirements. Why wait until the end?

An interview should be a two-way street and thrive on compromise. In fact, any gathering of people in any context is only successful when all parties are actively communicating. Have you ever been on a date where the other person just nods and listens to what you say with nothing interesting to add to the conversation? Perhaps you could have taught a creative writing course to elementary school students who never contributed to the discussion. An interview is a similar situation, and asking questions at all times not only shows great interest in the position, but also demonstrates your interpersonal skills.

Here is a list of some questions you may want to consider asking in your interview. Try to pass them too; avoid placing them randomly where inappropriate:

• What are some of the challenges associated with this position?
• How would you describe the ideal candidate for this position? What qualities should they possess?
• How do you evaluate if I am doing a good job? Are there any specific evaluation metrics?
• What is the possible career progression for this position within your company?
• How would you describe the organizational culture?

I think it’s beneficial to ask the right questions that also elicit a personal response from the hiring manager. It shows that he is interested not only in the job on offer, but also in the people behind the company and its bigger picture. Here’s an example:

• What do you enjoy most about working for this company? (At my previous company, everyone on the interview panel was shocked when one of the candidates asked them this. I remember we went around the room and answered one by one, and it seemed obvious that we were all on the same page. Later we offered a position to said candidate and was not convinced by the work itself, but by the people with whom he was going to work).
• If you could change one thing about the company, what would it be? (Some might think this is controversial [perhaps more so in Asia], but I think it’s relevant and shows that you have the balls to ask what most everyone else is afraid of. After all, there are aspects of any job you won’t like: the Pope would probably hate responding to criticism of the Catholic Church in the media, Michael Phelps would probably wish he was in bed sleeping instead of lapses on many occasions, and I, as a founder of a new company, hate doing administrative tasks. However, these things just have to be done!

If the interview has progressed successfully on the basis of healthy dialogue, then it should culminate with the interviewer asking, “Do you have ANY OTHER questions for me?” This is a timely opportunity to ask some closing questions if they have not been answered previously:

• Based on the recruitment process so far, do I have the necessary skills to excel in this role?
• Are there any qualities that you feel I need to improve in order to be successful in this role?
• Is there anything else you would like to know about me to assess my suitability for this role?
• What is the process that follows? When will the candidates be notified of the result?

There are so many other smart questions that candidates can ask in interviews that creating a definitive list would be impossible. The crux of the questions should be to answer in a way that illustrates that you are the best person for the job.

If you found these tips, feel free to share them with friends and others in your network who are looking for work.