It is common wisdom that the interview process is a two-way street. You should be interviewing the company that you are considering working for to determine if you will be a good fit for the culture and values of the company. If you get a chance to talk to executive management, you will certainly want to be prepared. What questions will you ask? Contrary to popular opinion, I do think that there is such a thing as a dumb question. After all, you do not want to destroy your credibility by lack of preparation. Here is a list of some ideas, but just select a few:
On the Culture & Growth:
- What kind of person succeeds here?
- How do you define culture?
- How would you characterize your management style? and those of the folks on your team?
- Whose careers have you influenced the most?
- What do you, personally, do to continue to grow?
On the Future:
- What are your customers telling you is their biggest unmet needs?
- How do you see the needs of the company’s market changing in the next few years?
- How will the company look different in the next 3-5 years?
- What excites you the most about the future of the company?
Deeper Questions:
NOTE: Make sure that it is appropriate to ask these questions! These require a higher level of rapport with the person you are talking to.
- Tell me about {name a key person} who has recently left the company?
- What about employee turnover?
- What is the toughest decision that you have had to make recently?
- What is the most important thing that you are working on right now?
- What keeps you awake at night?
What to look for:
When listening (and observing) the answers to these questions, I look for honesty and openness. Executive leadership sets the tone for a company. Do the answers convey integrity or evasiveness? Displays of passion are important, but is there also a depth that inspires confidence? Would you hire this management team to lead the company that you decide to work for?