Page 157 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

THE QUESTION LIFE CYCLE

10-8
If you could have any client/customer on the roster today, what com-
pany would it be?
This question, like 10-7, is appropriate to creative companies such
as advertising or design agencies. The ideal follow-up is to hint that
you have the capability to bring the company closer to realizing this
outcome.

10-9
I notice the company laid off 125 people last August. What was the
reason for the layoff and how was the process handled?
Layoffs are usually a matter of record. You get points for knowing
your facts. Companies usually don’t like to talk about layoffs, but
they are a fact of life these days and are fair game in interviews. The
important part of the question is the last phrase. A company reveals
a lot about itself in the way it handles terminations.

10-10
What, besides the obvious acts such as theft or threats of violence, does
it take for an employee to get fired or demoted?
This is a bold question that attempts to uncover the particular taboos
of the organization. Every organization disciplines members who
lie, cheat, or steal. But every organization also punishes particular
behaviors. Some cultures punish those who criticize. Others punish
those who violate the chain of command. It’s good to know what
kind of organization you may be joining.

10-11
I am a hard worker. I expect to be around other hardworking people.
Am I going to be comfortable with the level of effort I find here?
You are asking the interviewer if you will find the kind of hardwork-
ing environment in which you thrive at this position. If the inter-
viewer hedges at all, you have your answer.

10-12
Is the company’s training strategy linked to the company’s core busi-
ness objectives?
The most sophisticated companies do link their training and educa-
tion investments to core business objectives.

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