Page 149 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

THE QUESTION LIFE CYCLE

9-31
How much interaction do you have with supervisors and other
co-workers?
A question that goes to the same issue as 9-16 except that it invokes
the issue of cross-team or interdepartmental cooperation. The
follow-up depends on whether the prevailing culture is one you can
support.

9-32
Do departments or teams operate more on an independent basis or in a
matrixed team environment?
This question probes for whether the culture favors independence
(silo mentality) or teamwork (interdepartmental cooperation). As in
9-31, the follow-up depends on whether the prevailing culture is one
you can support.

9-33
What top three problems does the organization face?
The question is deliberately ambiguous, allowing the interviewer to
address problems facing the enterprise, division, company, depart-
ment, or team.

9-34
Does the company do formal strategic planning?
Many companies pay more lip service to strategic planning than bas-
ing decisions on it. It’s good to know if the company has processes in
place to think five or ten years forward. Follow up with your experi-
ence and success with strategic planning. Another follow-up: Can you
share some details of the company’s five- or ten-year strategic plan?

TEN BEST QUESTIONS ABOUT
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

9-35
Will I receive my assignments from IT or from the business unit?
This is a critical question that goes to the very DNA of the informa-
tion technology resource in the company. Organizations in which

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