Page 126 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

QUESTIONS FOR HIRING MANAGERS

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Every company contends with office politics. It’s a fact of life because
politics is about people working together. Can you give me some exam-
ples of how politics play out in this company?
It’s a slightly risky question because politics has such a negative con-
notation. But the reality is that every organization is a political orga-
nization. The politics at family-owned companies are much different
from the politics of large multinational companies. The issue is, with
which are you more comfortable?

TWENTY BEST QUESTIONS ABOUT GENERAL
BUSINESS OBJECTIVES

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I’m delighted to know that teamwork is highly regarded. But evaluat-
ing the performance of teams can be difficult. How does the company
evaluate team performance? For example, does it employ 360-degree
feedback programs?
While many companies talk about the importance of teamwork,
they reward individual performance. It’s unlikely that teamwork
can really be transformational unless teams are evaluated and
rewarded.

? Memorably Bad Question
#7

What’s your policy on dating co-workers?

What’s with this guy? What is his motivation for working here?
There were many questions that went through my head, none
of which I could ask. The question left a bad taste in my mouth
for the rest of the interview. He was not offered a job.

Bryan Debenport
Corporate Recruiter
Alcon Laboratories
Fort Worth, TX

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