I always walk into an interview with a pile of questions for the interviewer. Some of them will get answered in the course of the interview. Others I will need to ask once we get to the inevitable “do you have any questions for me?” part of the process. Always have questions. A candidate without question is someone who doesn’t want the job.
When I interview a candidate and they don’t ask me anything, I question why they want the job (even if I’ve already asked them.) This post has some great questions. They may not all apply to your particular job hunt, but they’re things to consider and give you a little visibility into the closed box of the company you’re trying to work for.
If I get the job, how do I earn a “gold star” on my performance review? What are the key accomplishments you’d like to see in this role over the next year?
This is a great question and one I always ask. I know I’m going to step into the role (if hired) and knock their socks off. It’s disheartening how often I don’t get a good answer, or any answer at all to this question.
I want to work in a place that rewards hard work. If there’s nothing in place to do that already, odds are, you’ll not see anything but a pat on the back.
How did you get your start in this industry? Why do you stay?
I ask my interviewers how long they’ve been with the company, what brought them here and why they stay. This tells me if we’re looking for the same things. It also tells me what they see as the company’s values. It’s most interesting when I get an answer that isn’t what I’ve heard from the company recruiters or read in the brochures.
What’s the timeline for making a decision on this position? When should I get back in touch with you?
Are you in a hurry to fill this position? I don’t care if they’re looking to fill it today or next month. But I want to know. If they’re looking to fill it today, and I hear nothing back for a week, that’s probably a bad sign. But if they’re looking to fill it later this month then I can be more relaxed in my follow-up and worry about whether I got the job or not.
What is your reward system? Is it a star system / team-oriented / equity-based / bonus-based / golf-clap-based? Why is that your reward system? If you could change any one thing about it, what would it be?
Again, is there a reward system? So many times I’ve worked in places that had no concrete rewards or review system in place.
What is the rhythm to the work around here? Is there a time of year that it’s “all hands on deck” and we’re pulling all-nighters, or is it pretty consistent throughout the year? How about during the week / month? Is it pretty evenly spread throughout the week / month, or are there crunch days?
This is important. Find out the flow of the business. Especially if it’s an industry you’re new to. There is a busy and slow time. But when that falls completely depends on what you’ll be doing, who you’ll be working with and what your customers/clients/partners do.
Government slows down to a crawl from Thanksgiving through the first of the year. Quick printers (like Kinkos/AlphaGraphics) slow down in the summer and pick back up when school gets back in session. Are you releasing products? Working for The Atlantic, they had a monthly release schedule around the print magazine. Finding the ebb and flow of your job prepares for you the busy times and tells you when you can catch up.
Sports commentary with Marshawn Lynch
By Carl
On January 30, 2015
In Observations
I don’t know Marshawn Lynch and I don’t follow the Seahawks, but I continue to be amused and interested in his handling of the media. It’s a circus and he wants no part in it. He’s not feeding into the media hype and sound bites to replay a thousand times over.
Is this what an introvert thrust into the spotlight looks like? Or is this a guy who wants to do his job and do it well without the extracurricular activities his workplace demands of him?
Either way, I continue to enjoy his treatment of the media. Because really, what are they expecting from him?
His first required appearance he answered every question with “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”
The next time he was required to appear, he answered, “You know why I’m here.”
In his required media appearance today, he broke his silence and said:
I’ve followed professional sports for years and every single interview sounds the same. “We went out and played well / didn’t play well. We are going to look forward to the next game and focus on that. It’s not about today’s win/loss but we are looking ahead to the next one.” It’s refreshing to see Marshawn Lynch’s disinterested treatment of the media. They need him and he doesn’t need them. And he knows it. He’s doing what the NFL requires of him and nothing more.
I’ll leave you with another great sports interview. This one from DeAndre Jordan.
“I was listening to Tupac and I forgot the question.”
At the end of the day, say what you will about Marshawn Lynch and his treatment of the media. But the clips of him blowing them off have generated far more interest, hits and views than anything else he could have said. So is he really doing the media a disservice? He’s giving them what they want. Ad Dollars.