How to Interview Your Interviewer

How to Interview Your InterviewerHow to Interview Your Interviewer Youvescheduled the einstellungsgesprch. Youveprinted extra copies of your resume. Youve researched the companys site, and maybe even researched some employees on LinkedIn. But are you really prepared?For many people, interviews are intimidating. A life-changing opportunity is based on an hour or two of answering a strangers questions. At the endcomes the final query Do you have any questions for me?Its tempting to say no, especially when your brain feels like a pile of mush after so much talking. However, you should always have questions to ask. Not only will it make you look more prepared - it will help you determine whether or not the opportunity is truly right for you.Here are career experts and hiring managers greatest tips and tricks to nailing that final question by turning the tables and performing an interview of your own.This one comes from Laura Handrick, Workdistributionspolitik Analyst with FitSmallBusiness.com . According to Laura, This question allows you to understand if the company is growing, the prior employee was promoted or whether theres high turnover. Their answer regarding the reason for the position being filled can provide you insight as to whether theres growth opportunity and a positive culture vs. a bad manager or a culture with a high level of churn and dissatisfaction. While this one might seem awkward to ask, the answer can help give you an idea of the culture without directly asking about it.Tammy Perkins, Chief People Officer with Fjuri Group suggests these questions as a way to gain insight into the job, the people on the team and the expectations they have. Theyre both open-ended, meaning youll most likely receive more valuable input than if you were to ask a yes-or-no question. It can also give you insight into whether expectations are ideal for your skillset or unrealistic, which is much better to find out before you receive an offer letter , additional interview, etc. A great place to start is by asking about the organizations core values. In a positive company culture, everyone can identify what the core values are and what they mean. This now provides you with a great opportunity to share how those values resonate with you on a personal level - something thats likely to score big points with your interviewer, says Piyush Patel , author of Lead Your Tribe, Love York Work .Interviewers are expecting this question, and will most likely give a thorough, positive answer. However, Stuart Ridge of VitaMedica recommends having some follow-up questions ready in case their answer to this question is a little vague. Whats the formality of the office culture ? Whats the flexibility of the work schedule? Whats the management style? What are some of the development opportunities available to employees? These questions are incredibly important to some people when interviewing, so make sure to ask before its too late. Plus, it shows that youre actively invested and interested in the position. However, if you ask this, you may want to pair it with questions two or five so they dont think youre too focused on what youcan get from the company versus what you can offer them.This is a different question from all of the others, as its not directly about you or the company, though it can help you gain insight to the latter. Ridge explains that this question serves two purposes. Asking for personal stories builds a rapport and connection with your interviewer, as people love to talk about their experience and knowledge. The more personal and interested you appear in your interview, the better impression youll leave. Ridge goes on to say that Personal insight will also give you a more honest view into the company culture You will be able to tell right away if the person loves their work, or if they are struggling to find positive things to say. The difference between a glowing recommendation and hesita tion is obvious.This is a safe question, as youve already listed your own skills and experiences before, so it shows that youre still engaged and interested in what theyre looking for. Perkins recommends asking this question as it gives you a sense of what the manager values most - is it tactical execution, strategy and what types of skills they reward? Do those values align with yours? Or are they opposites? Now you have a solid list of questions to keep in your mind, or even write down in a notebook, you can walk into your next interview with confidence. Remember the company should be trying to impress you just as much as youre trying to impress them.