consistent with one another?
As you monitor nonverbal signals during the interview, bear in mind that physical actions and vocal delivery should support the answers the interviewee passes along. A candidate who assures you that he has what it takes to ride the ups and downs of a career in sales but looks pale and shell-shocked when you mention that you’re interviewing other candidates, is sending two very different messages. The lyrics may be saying “I can handle rejection,” but the music doesn’t quite support that contention!
Smart Interview Questions for Your New Boss
Basic Questions
Revisit those basic questions you tried to answer through your research and those you asked the agency, recruiter, headhunter, or Human Resources department. If you’ve gotten satisfactory answers to them, you don’t need to ask them again.
Whatever questions remain from this first list, ask them. Then add a few more:
Please explain the (department, division) company’s organizational chart.
Can you give me a more detailed understanding of what my days might be like?
Are there specific challenges you are facing right now?
Will I be in a position to help you overcome them?
What are the department’s specific objectives for the next three months?
After you hear them, of course, you will do two things: Wrack your brain for specific examples from your experience or education that will convince him you can help him reach those goals. And ask more follow-up questions about how your job responsibilities will impact them.
Why three months? That’s the length of your probable probation period.
You and (one of his important competitors) have many similar products (or offer similar services). What sets you apart from them? What’s different about the way you do things? What’s different about their corporate structure, mission, or philosophy?
How fast is the company growing? Is management happy with that rate, or do you have expansion plans in mind?
Growth can be a double-edged sword: Faster top-line growth (i.e., greater sales) could mean an opportunity to climb the career ladder faster than usual. It could also characterize a company that spends itself into oblivion trying to buy sales. (Think “dot-com.”)
What is the company’s ranking within the industry? Does this position represent a change from where it was a few years ago?
You should already have some indication of the answer to this question from your initial research, particularly if the company is publicly owned. If you have some of this information, go ahead and build it into your question: “I’ve read that the company has risen from fifth to second in market share in just the past three years. What are the key reasons for this dramatic success?”
How do you see me working with each of the department heads?
How would my performance be measured in this position?
How is the department’s performance measured?
Probing Questions
The previous basic questions, and many of those you asked during your research or while interviewing with an agency, recruiter, head-hunter, or screening interviewer, are almost solely to fill in your overall portrait of the company as a whole. Once you have established in your own mind that you are truly interested in the company, you will want to ask detailed questions designed to elicit specific information about the department, the job, and the people:
What are the things you would most like to see changed in this (section, department, group, division, company)?
Are there plans for new products or services I need to know about?
When may I meet some of my potential colleagues (or subordinates)? Are they part of the interviewing process here?
Including lower-level employees in the process proves that the company values its employees’ opinions and realizes that just adding some stranger to the team by executive fiat isn’t an effective way to show your employees how important they are to you. Nor does it do much for “team
As you monitor nonverbal signals during the interview, bear in mind that physical actions and vocal delivery should support the answers the interviewee passes along. A candidate who assures you that he has what it takes to ride the ups and downs of a career in sales but looks pale and shell-shocked when you mention that you’re interviewing other candidates, is sending two very different messages. The lyrics may be saying “I can handle rejection,” but the music doesn’t quite support that contention!
Smart Interview Questions for Your New Boss
Basic Questions
Revisit those basic questions you tried to answer through your research and those you asked the agency, recruiter, headhunter, or Human Resources department. If you’ve gotten satisfactory answers to them, you don’t need to ask them again.
Whatever questions remain from this first list, ask them. Then add a few more:
Please explain the (department, division) company’s organizational chart.
Can you give me a more detailed understanding of what my days might be like?
Are there specific challenges you are facing right now?
Will I be in a position to help you overcome them?
What are the department’s specific objectives for the next three months?
After you hear them, of course, you will do two things: Wrack your brain for specific examples from your experience or education that will convince him you can help him reach those goals. And ask more follow-up questions about how your job responsibilities will impact them.
Why three months? That’s the length of your probable probation period.
You and (one of his important competitors) have many similar products (or offer similar services). What sets you apart from them? What’s different about the way you do things? What’s different about their corporate structure, mission, or philosophy?
How fast is the company growing? Is management happy with that rate, or do you have expansion plans in mind?
Growth can be a double-edged sword: Faster top-line growth (i.e., greater sales) could mean an opportunity to climb the career ladder faster than usual. It could also characterize a company that spends itself into oblivion trying to buy sales. (Think “dot-com.”)
What is the company’s ranking within the industry? Does this position represent a change from where it was a few years ago?
You should already have some indication of the answer to this question from your initial research, particularly if the company is publicly owned. If you have some of this information, go ahead and build it into your question: “I’ve read that the company has risen from fifth to second in market share in just the past three years. What are the key reasons for this dramatic success?”
How do you see me working with each of the department heads?
How would my performance be measured in this position?
How is the department’s performance measured?
Probing Questions
The previous basic questions, and many of those you asked during your research or while interviewing with an agency, recruiter, head-hunter, or screening interviewer, are almost solely to fill in your overall portrait of the company as a whole. Once you have established in your own mind that you are truly interested in the company, you will want to ask detailed questions designed to elicit specific information about the department, the job, and the people:
What are the things you would most like to see changed in this (section, department, group, division, company)?
Are there plans for new products or services I need to know about?
When may I meet some of my potential colleagues (or subordinates)? Are they part of the interviewing process here?
Including lower-level employees in the process proves that the company values its employees’ opinions and realizes that just adding some stranger to the team by executive fiat isn’t an effective way to show your employees how important they are to you. Nor does it do much for “team
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