Questions to Ask in an Interview

Interviewer:  Is there anything I can answer for you?
Candidate:  No, I think I know everything I need to know.

Let's face it.  Do you really know EVERYTHING you need to know about the company you're interviewing at?  

You should assume that every interviewer will allow you an opportunity to ask questions of them.  I urge you to ask them!  Engaging the interviewer shows them that you are a part of the conversation, and that you are interviewing them as well.  After all, you will have to be working with them.  On top of looking like you are genuinely interested in the company and the team, it shows you came prepared.  

Below, I list some of the types of questions you can consider asking your potential-future-employer:

• Future of the industry (ie: cloud technology, solar, potato powered cars)
• Growth of the company over the past few years
• Planned future growth of the company
• Company culture
• Team structure / hierarchy 
• Opportunity for growth
• The interviewer's career path

Things you should avoid asking:

• Salary (unless the interviewer brings it up)
• Benefits (unless the interviewer brings it up)
• Soft benefits
• Paid Time Off / PTO
• Sabbaticals
• "Bring your dog to work" day

At the end of the day, remember that an interview is just a conversation.  It should never be question-answer-question-answer.  Make it interactive; make it a give-and-take.  Don't be afraid to ask questions mid-interview.  Don't be afraid to interject if you are confused about the job duties.

Just as much as the company is interviewing you, you are interviewing them.

The Salary Question

Ask 10 people, get 10 different answers.

As a recruiter, I always ask my candidates what their current compensation package is (or their last compensation package if they are not employed).  Why do I ask?  Because I need to know where along the price spectrum you fall.  We have to make judgement calls on whether you are going to be a fit for the position we are talking about.  Are you getting paid what you're worth?  Why not?  Are you out of our price range?  Are you within the range we have budgeted for?

Candidates young and old (but mostly young) argue with me on this one.

Recruiter:  "What is your current compensation package?"
Candidate:  "I get paid what I am worth... what are you prepared to offer for this position?"
Recruiter:  "We've budgeted for a base salary of 65-75k with a 10% bonus.  Are you within this range?"
Candidate:  "I don't want to give you my salary information. I was told it was illegal."

Illegal?  No.  Blunt?  Yes.  Don't get me wrong, I used to play that game with recruiters also.  You were taught to never show your cards, to see how much you can get from a future employer without actually telling them how much you are worth.

On the flip side, this question is a great opportunity for you to tell the interviewer exactly how much you are worth.

Recruiter:  "What is your current compensation package?"
Candidate:  "My base salary is currently 90k with a 10% bonus."
Recruiter:  "Well, unfortunately, we've budgeted for a base salary of 65-75k with a 10% bonus."
Candidate:  "I understand that I may be out of your budget, but I've brought value to the organization by ..."

You get the picture.  When we say that our budget is between A and B, there is always a little wiggle room.  Even if we say there is not.

So, how much do you make?