Page 136 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

PART III

THE QUESTION
LIFE CYCLE

You have two critical purposes in asking questions. At first,
you want every question to advance your candidacy. That
might mean emphasizing a point you think is key or directing
the interview to a success story you want to share. At some
point, however, you also want to ask questions to help you
decide if you really want the position. After all, as the inter-
view progresses, you are becoming a potential stakeholder in
the company, investing with the most valuable assets you have:
your time, talent, and allegiance.

FOUR GROUPS OF QUESTIONS

There are four groups of questions you can pick from when
it’s your turn to ask questions, and each is the subject of one
of the next four chapters. Exploring questions do double duty:
they demonstrate your interest in the job and the company,
and they help you learn more about the opportunity. Defen-
sive questions let you know what you’re getting into and pro-
tect you from making a mistake. Feedback questions are really
sales techniques to identify objections and solidify your posi-
tion. Bid-for-action questions are designed to clinch the offer.
I am indebted to Gary Ames, vice president of consulting at
Merrill-Adams in Princeton, New Jersey, and Dr. Wendell Wil-
liams, managing director of ScientificSelection.com in Atlanta,
Georgia, for the organization of these questions.

115