超准的生子秘方:Questions to ask employers during interviews

Career Services @Virginia Tech
Career Services Building (0128)
Corner of Washington Street & West Campus Drive
Blacksburg, VA  24061
phone 540-231-6241     fax 540-231-3293       www.career.vt.edu
location |office hours |walk-in advising & appointments |contact us |our staff |events |career fairs |A-Z index
Search Career Services
Career Services is for all students: freshman, sophomore, junior, senior,
and graduate level, atVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.
> Our Mission and Core Values
FOR:  Students  | Graduate Students  | Employers  | Alumni  | Faculty & Staff  | Parents
Explore Careers & Majors  |  Externships  |  Internships  |  Co–op  |  Job Search  |  Plan for Grad School
You are here:Career Services >For Students >Job search > Questions to ask employers during interviews
JOB SEARCH TOOLS & SKILLS:
Resumes and vitae
Cover letters & other letters
E-mail
Telephone
References
Researching employers
FINDING JOBS & EMPLOYERS:
How VT grads did it
Who hired VT grads
How to start your job search
Pros & cons of ways to job-hunt
Advertised jobs
Unadvertised jobs
Networking
VT CareerLink
CareerSearch
Hokies4Hire & the On-Campus Interviewing Program
Job listing web sites
On-line job search advice & privacy protection
MEETING EMPLOYERS:
Handshakes
Career fairs / job fairs
Employer info sessions
Interviewing
Interview attire
Business casual attire
Dining etiquette
DECIDING ON A JOB OFFER:
Salary, benefits, negotiating
Responding to job offers
Acknowledging a job offer
Deadline extensions
Declining
Accepting
Contracts
Relocating
SPECIAL INTERESTS:
Diverse students
International students
Students with disabilities
LGBT students
Graduate students
Questions to ask employers during interviews
An interview is a two-way street. Ask questions. The employer should provide an opportunity for you to ask questions at or near the end of the interview.
On this page:
Tips
Samples
Tips
• Always prepare questions to ask. Having no questions prepared sends the message that you have no independent thought process.
• Some of your questions may be answered during the course of the interview, before you are offered the opportunity to ask. If so, you can simply state something to the effect that you were interested in knowing about ..., but that was addressed during the interview. You could ask for additional clarification if applicable.
• Do not ask questions that are clearly answered on the employer's web site and/or in any literature provided by the employer to you in advance. This would simply reveal that you did not prepare for the interview, and you are wasting the employer's time by asking these questions.
• Never ask about salary and benefits issues until those subjects are raised by the employer.
Samples
If you are having trouble developing questions, consider the following samples as food for thought. However, don't ask a question if you are not truly interested in the answer; it will be obvious to the employer.
• What are the company's strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?
• How important does upper management consider the function of this department/position?
• What is the organization's plan for the next five years, and how does this department fit in?
• Could you explain your organizational structure?
• How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
• What are the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
• Could you describe your company's management style and the type of employee who fits well with it?
• What are some of the skills and abilities necessary for someone to succeed in this job?
• What is the company's policy on providing seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?
• What particular computer equipment and software do you use?
• What kind of work can I expect to be doing the first year?
• What percentage of routine, detailed work will I encounter?
• How much opportunity is there to see the end result of my efforts?
• Who will review my performance? How often?
• How much guidance or assistance is made available to individuals in developing career goals?
• How much opportunity will I have for decision-making in my first assignment?
• Can you describe an ideal employee?
• What is your organization's policy on transfers to other cities?
Also see:
Typical interview format
Interview attire
Sample questions
Sample questions for teaching candidates
Behavioral interviewing
Interview DOs & DON'Ts
Researching employers — why and how
Responding to salary questions
On-site interviews
Dining Etiquette
Interview expenses
After your interviews / follow up / thank-you letters
The Mock Interview Program
Career Services is part of:Virginia Tech www.vt.edu andThe Division of Student Affairs
Our Mission and Core Values
© 1996-2006 Career Services
Page updated 8/31/06