The Other Side of the Table

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The unilateral 25 percent pay cut that many government employees are struggling with and the looming threat to reduce the workforce has caused many government workers to evaluate their employment options by looking for work in the private sector or moving to another location. It’s important to polish up that resume and start thinking about the questions you might be asked in an interview. However, the interviewer’s last question is often the most important one. If you’ve been job hunting, you know that after the interviewers ask all their questions they will usually pause, smile and ask: “Now, do you have any questions that you’d like to ask us?”

This is not just a courtesy question, but an opportunity for you to set yourself apart from the other applicants and demonstrate to those who are evaluating you that you have done your due diligence and want to know more about the position and the organization. It’s also a chance to turn the table around and ask some penetrating questions that will help reveal the type of people you may be working with and determine if the company meets your standards. Asking nothing may cause the interviewer to lose confidence in you and feel like you aren’t interested enough in the position to ask good questions.

Most organizations approach an interview without realizing that an applicant may have numerous other options, or she has just interviewed with a really exciting company and this interview is just a backup plan in case the other job doesn’t pan out. Realize that the interview is a two-way interaction where the interviewee is also trying to evaluate whether a particular organization is a good fit for him or her. How a potential employer conducts the interview and answers the questions may cause those being interviewed to get excited about working with a company, or scratch them off their list and keep their current job or continue their job search. Just because an employer holds the upper hand doesn’t mean that they control all the cards.

In one job interview, I was asked at the conclusion if I had any questions. I wanted to use this time to learn more about the company, so I asked: “From your perspective, what do you feel are the greatest challenges facing this organization?”
The group sat looking at me with a blank stare, so I rephrased the question by sharing some of the most pressing challenges I perceived. After a moment, one of the individuals informed me that my question was not appropriate, because it was a question that they should be asking me. I was shocked by the response. She continued by lecturing me that I should ask questions like, “when will I know if I am selected?” At this point I was trying to keep a straight face. Not one person who was interviewing me would answer the question, and I was even told by one individual that the company’s challenges wouldn’t be shared with me until I was hired. Wow! Remind me not to by a car from that person.

Okay, with one question failed, I came back with a second question: “What is the vision for the future of the company?” After another long, uncomfortable pause, one of them stated that the organization did have a vision and then gave me a generalized, platitudinous response that could have applied to practically any similar company. I was under-whelmed and decided not to pursue the question by asking what that meant. They were now batting with two strikes, so I decided to ask a simple question that just required a “yes” or “no” answer.

At least they didn’t strike out, but they did fail my portion of the interview and left me with an empty feeling. If you’re conducting an interview, make sure to take each question seriously. Unless it’s confidential or proprietary, each question an interviewee asks deserves to be treated with respect by giving a thoughtful answer.

Career coach Robin Upton encourages candidates to ask two questions at the end of an interview: “Now that we have talked about my qualifications, do you have any concerns about me fulfilling the responsibilities of this position?” and “As my direct report in this position, what are the three priorities you would first like to see accomplished?”

As an employer, you can often learn more about a candidate from what they ask, versus what they answer. As a job seeker, doing some research on the company and position will open up many questions. Pick the most relevant that will help you both gain a better understanding and show your interest in the job. If you spend some time sitting on the other side of the table thinking about questions that would impress an employer and give you greater insight, it may transform you from a job seeker into a job getter.