Page 130 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

QUESTIONS FOR HIRING MANAGERS

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Staff development is mentioned in your annual report as a measure
on which executives are evaluated. What kinds of training experiences
might I expect?
The question indicates deep interest in the company, an understand-
ing of the link between staff development and success, and a focus on
staff development in the service of the company’s long-term objec-
tives as much as on the individual’s development.

8-98
Is the department a profit center?
Departments or work units organized as profit centers generate their
own revenue, making them much less at risk for layoffs.

8-99
How formal is the organization? How does that promote and disadvan-
tage the business?
These are good questions to begin a conversation about the formal-
ity of the organization. One good follow-up is to note your commit-
ment to communication across divisions.

FIVE BEST QUESTIONS WHEN YOU WILL
MANAGE OTHER EMPLOYEES

8-100
How many employees would I supervise?
This question and the ones that follow in this section are all intended
to give you information about the staff you may inherit and for you
to communicate your skill in managing others, especially when there
are difficulties.

8-101
What condition is employee morale in, and why?
An elegant way of asking the question, especially if morale is in
shambles. It begs the real possibility that the interviewer contributed
to the morale. It also focuses attention on an issue that will almost
certainly make your job easier, should you accept the position.

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