At Michael J. Hawkins, Inc. one of the ways that we judged candidates is by the caliber of questions that they ask.
The key is to ask great questions- not to ask questions that you should know the answers to already (“What does the position entail?) or questions that make it all about you (“What is your vacation policy?”)
Here are 9 great questions you can use or make your own on your next job interview. Obviously they’re generic and should be tailored based on circumstances:
1. Who would make the ideal candidate for this position?
2. How will the work I’ll be doing contribute to the organization’s mission?
3. What were the best things about the last person who held this position?
4. What are three ways I can contribute to the company beyond the job description?
5. How can I best contribute to the department’s goals?
6. How do you see me best contributing to the corporate culture and morale?
7. What do you see as the biggest challenges of working here and how can I overcome those challenges?
8. What is your vision for where the company or department will be in one year? In 3-5 years?
9. How can I help you and the team succeed?
Of course, the more research you do in advance, the more you can ask specific questions about the company’s recent news, blog posts, product launches, plans, etc. But here’s the bottom line:
Ask questions that demonstrate genuine interest in the organization and how you can fit in to their success.
Remember, also, job interviewing is a two-way-street! By asking questions, you can get a much better sense of the organization you’re interviewing at, and the extent to which you’d even want to work there.
In summary, the best tabletop sales people know the great questions to ask when they are in front of the customer in a sales mode. It’s even more important when your career is on the line.
Mike Hawkins is a top executive recruiter specializing in the hospitality industry. Mike has vast knowledge of the foodservice sales and marketing industry having experience on both the supplier and dealer sides of the business.
