John Borrowman, CPC
Borrowman Baker, LLC
Gallatin, TN
Common sense gives you a list of questions to avoid during an interview. That’s easy. The hard part is asking the right question at the right time.
The issue is not about time so much as who you’re talking to. The boss’s point of view is different from a would-be co-worker. Craft your questions accordingly to get more useful information.
- To the boss, you might ask: What is the firm’s view of work/life balance?
- To the would-be co-worker: Have you ever felt like you had to put in “face-time?”
Keep in mind that the boss sees things from thirty-thousand feet. That view is valid. It just may not give you what you need about the day-to-day.
- To the boss, you might ask: What’s the culture in this practice?
- To the would-be co-worker: What are the things that happen here that make work fun? When you brag about this place, what do you tell people? [If you get no answers to either question, you have a different problem.]
When it comes to managing and promoting, sometimes a boss will see things that aren’t there, and miss things that are.
- To the boss, you might ask: What are the qualities of people who get ahead here?
- To the would-be co-worker: Is this the kind of place where good performance is recognized, and promotions are fair?
Skillful interviewing can reveal information that helps you make a better decision.
