Job interviews are often viewed as a one-sided experience. This should not be the case. A job interview is an opportunity for the job candidate to learn as much as possible about not only the specific job they are interviewing for but also about other important factors about the company or organizations with which they are interviewing. While some of the questions recommended for the candidate may seem to be common sense, there are a number of job candidates who are either too nervous, shy or afraid to raise these critical questions.
What is the work environment? This question, while broad, can cover everything from the formality of an office to the physical layout of the work space. Depending on while both of these areas are important, the former one is of great interest to manner younger job candidates while the latter one is of more interest to more senior job seekers.
What are the opportunities for development? This question gets to the issue of how much the company or organization values their people. Specifically, the response should address formal training and development programs including opportunities for academic and professional coursework. Those interested in professional degrees or on-going education must clearly follow-up on the response to the question if it does not address those areas. An additional area of inquiry is the selection process for future executives and other leaders. What is the process and how does it work.
How much travel is anticipated and what type? Some people crave travel. Other people hate travel. The job candidate needs to know up front how much travel is anticipated and what kind. Some businesses put travel in percentages: 25%, 50%, 75%? What kind of travel? Is it local? Cross country? International? Will it require being away over weekend? Unless you are committed to working 7x24, these questions are very important.
What is the policy toward telecommuting? Speaking of working 7x24, it is important to ask about the home office policy. This may be very important or not important to the candidate at present, but it is something that should be known up front. Whether due to a personal situation or bad weather, everyone wants to work from home occasionally. And it is essential to know about front about the potential employer