Asking questions at a job interview

[tris-]

A couple of people here are the dudes who interview other dudes, right?

I would like to know from you if it is possible for a dude to ask you dudes too many questions when it comes to that time of an interview? I dont mean questions like "what did you do last week?" but relevant questions.

I usually go in to an interview with only 3-4, im going for one on wed and ive already got about a dozen decent things i could ask and could think up a load more.

 

[gohan]

im like, what the pay whats the benifits when do i start? xD




never failed at an inteview yet but then never gone for anythng massive either

 

[TdC]

aha that prolly means you're really interested so well done! that said, I don't think you should ask all of them, but you certainly should show that you are quite keen to do so. be flexible: ask those questions relevant to what you have been talking about while being to the point and direct unless your interviewers show that they are comfortable talking with you and do not appear to be wanting the interview to close quickly.

in the case of the latter, I would say ask your questions, or better, perhaps it would be a nice surprise to the interviewers if you would request an opportunity to come back and have a chat with the manager/senior person in a more free form environment.

I don't know how UK interviews go, but if I had a positive feeling candidate who was bright, asked questions that were well put and to the point and also requested a brief moment to talk outside the confines of a job interview I could find that an extra plus indeed.

 

[gohan]

yes but we all know the other requirments to work for you......

 

[TdC]

don't worry Gohan, your boobs aren't the right shape to attract me, and Ez has already called me a dirty perv today so I guess it's trusty Mrs Hand and the coconut oil tonight

 

[kiliarien]

aha that prolly means you're really interested so well done! that said, I don't think you should ask all of them, but you certainly should show that you are quite keen to do so. be flexible: ask those questions relevant to what you have been talking about while being to the point and direct unless your interviewers show that they are comfortable talking with you and do not appear to be wanting the interview to close quickly.

in the case of the latter, I would say ask your questions, or better, perhaps it would be a nice surprise to the interviewers if you would request an opportunity to come back and have a chat with the manager/senior person in a more free form environment.

I don't know how UK interviews go, but if I had a positive feeling candidate who was bright, asked questions that were well put and to the point and also requested a brief moment to talk outside the confines of a job interview I could find that an extra plus indeed.

I agree with TdC - you might find some of your questions are answered during the interview anyway. Make your questions pertinent & relevant - it really will stand you in good stead from an employer perspective because they will see you're keen and willing to see how things will move on within the organisation.

Oh, and good luck with it Tris

 

[Bugz]

I had an interview for uni and they asked me if I had any questions...I didn't have any so I quickly thought one up and they responded with 'we already answered that at the beginning.' doh.

I kind of expected the rejection when it came ;d

 

[tris-]

i am aware that questions could be answered during the interview, but thansk for the tip. i keep them in my head during the interview and keep track of what is said and link it to a question.
tdc, cant really go back outside the interview. the place is about 200+ miles away from where i live. im driving straight there at 5pm on tues after work, and the interview is at 1.30 the next day.

i have my generic questions like "how did you get to your position in the organisation" (apparently a good one according to one bloke i asked previously) and "do you have a particular area that gets a lot of queries" etc. but some i like to make specific to the place. this time im thinking of linking something to the latest journal in the profession? but then the fuckers might not have read it :/

gohan, i guess you might call it a major one. most of my interviews are with a panel of 2 people, might have had three at one point but cant remember.

 

[kiliarien]

Might I ask what sort of job it is? To help you like.

 

[tris-]

fair trading officer within a trading standards department.
it is basically where you start to get your legal qualifications to be a trading standards officer.

 

[Bugz]

The Office of Fair Trading & all those other regulation industries are a fuckin joke.

Fucked up so many things in the 20th century (in America atleast).

But that's for a different discussion

 

[tris-]

what did the OFT fuck up?
do you count trading standards and envioronmental health in regulation industries?

if so, i think you may not be fully informed of their importance!

 

[Bugz]

I read some shit about how they (they being regulation industries - I just wanted to bash OFT for fun ) destroyed a lot of industries in America in one of friedmans' books. I'll have to find my notes on it.

 

[tris-]

really. im not sure how the oft and other local govt authorities could impact anything in america.

you sure it wasnt the american versions?

 

[Bugz]

I meant the american versions

Just used your OFT as a way to link it in to sound smart I know fuck all about english regulation history unfortunately!

 

[tris-]

in a nutshell from the trading standards angle, regulation was about accurate weights and measures and the regulation of bread and beer production from about 900AD to the 1900s.

 

[Ezteq]

tbh relevant questions are generally welcomed by interviewers because it shows you have been thinking about the wider aspects of the job and are genuinely interested in procedures. Asking Q's in an interview is a good way to get extra brownie points, it also looks impressive if you have them written out and numbered so that you can refer to them from a text (shows forward planning ability and organisation) and take a pen so that you can jot down the answers (looks like you are genuinely interested rather than just asking Qs to score said brownie points).

Good luck with it Trissy Baby and just go in and think of it as a brilliant opportunity to show off your skills, degree training and personal attributes. You are marketing yourself in an interview, a lot of people get scared and fail to do it because they just answer what the interviewers ask them without promoting themselves adequately.

Also try and think of any key words or phrases in the profession (in the info prof. there are such buzz words as social inclusion, diversity etc etc) and use them, interviewers are given a list of criteria and tick them off in the course of the interview, it is all about how many boxes you can get them to tick for you.

 

[Jupitus]

I find questioning fine from candidates, but beware of asking things to which you could find the answer with some research, of course. Having your questions noted down is fine, so long as you don't forget to skip over those already answered.

Good luck!

 

[old.Tohtori]

"So, how's the wife? Still horny?(optional)"
"Can i get a raise?"
(while looking at pay)"Are you shitting me?"

All good i feel.

 

[tris-]

thanks for the tips people who gave them

im going to keep my questions mainly to something you couldnt find out without actually asking the blokes. a new piece of law came in last year which is pretty ground breaking. one of the things i will ask is what experiences theyve had of using it!

 

[old.Tohtori]

To be more serious, i asked in my last interview "What is the financial situation of the company? Is it on a firm base, and as such, how stable would the job be?"

They were taken back in a good way 'cause evidently no one had asked that.

 

[Turamber]

"How do I get your job?" caused a few laughs at an interview once. Not that I got it, mind.

 

[Aoami]

To be more serious, i asked in my last interview "What is the financial situation of the company? Is it on a firm base, and as such, how stable would the job be?"

They were taken back in a good way 'cause evidently no one had asked that.

they were probably thinking 'olololol what a ****'

 

[Hawkwind]

As an interviewer I like to have the applicants show interest and ask pertinent questions. In my mind it shows genuine interest.

Questions you should always ask at a Interview:

• Private health cover
• Pensions and savings schemes
• How travel expenses are paid
• Staff Reviews and Promotion prospects
• Business outlook

 

[Ezteq]

thanks for the tips people who gave them

im going to keep my questions mainly to something you couldnt find out without actually asking the blokes. a new piece of law came in last year which is pretty ground breaking. one of the things i will ask is what experiences theyve had of using it!

rofl yeah because it is sooo exbarrassing when you ask something and the answer is easily obtainable (for example "where is the such and such pelase?" and you get that look and they just point infront of you)

I know its good sense but I kind of shy away from asking about the salary lol it just seems rude and I have no idea why!

 

[Hawkwind]

rofl yeah because it is sooo exbarrassing when you ask something and the answer is easily obtainable (for example "where is the such and such pelase?" and you get that look and they just point infront of you)

I know its good sense but I kind of shy away from asking about the salary lol it just seems rude and I have no idea why!

Years ago I went to an interview with Panasonic Mobile Phones near Newbury. After sitting a 1 hour Electronics/Comms test plus various panel questions they asked me what my current package was. It soon became very clear they could not get anywhere near it. So the previous 2 hours had been a complete waste for both sides. I usually write my current package in the covering letter with CV.

 

[old.Tohtori]

they asked me what my current package was. It soon became very clear they could not get anywhere near it.

For me this depends entirely on the person interviewing me. If it's a she and especially if she's hot, she can get as close to my package as possible.

 

[Ezteq]

oh yes Hawk I agree it is definately good practice to do so but I just hate talking about money lol it seems rude! and tbh i'd die of shame and be laughed out the room if i told anyone what i earn hehe

 

[tris-]

had my interview today. they put me up in a hotel last night, all paid for. and they will be paying my travel expenses which will be more than i paid!

first part was a test. i was put in a room and given a brief, that someone acting as a consumer was coming in to seek help on a problem. went well from my view. ive analysed dozens of scenarios while at uni, but usually on paper. it seemed pretty much the same doing it with a person: find out the important info, analyse the situation, offer them options of how to resolve the problem and from my view, weed out any potential criminal activity. i then had a short time to write down detailed notes that i would put on to a system if i was working there. all this was then taken away by the interview dudes.

then had my interview which was very laid back, and one of the guys was quite the character. really animated jumping around in his seat and saying 'cool' a lot. i thought id fluffed it though, as they were probing a lot leading me to believe i wasnt answering the questions with enough depth.

i got a call at 730 pm. in total there was 5 people interviewed, 2 of them having done the job previously so they are being offered the positions. how ever they were 'very impressed' with me and i came in at the same level as another person, the 5th guy obviously is not getting a lookin. now theyre discussing the possibilty of creating a 3rd post and offereing it to one of us two.

best interview ive had and hopefully this will be my break in to trading standards!

 

[Cozak]

tris good luck mate, hope it works out man. you gonna be moving away from teh boro then?