As an experienced Interviewer, I have met many different people who are looking for very different things in the same job market. The stakes are higher now than ever before for candidates to leave a stable employer for another, therefore the interview questions have changed as well. Here are the top 5 questions candidates ask in an interview with their recruiter:
- What is the internal structure?
Most people have a preference of style and organizational culture they like to work in. Multinationals and smaller privately owned companies will suit different types of people, job seekers like to know what they walking into before they decide to progress to an interview stage.
- Role and responsibilities
We advise all our candidate to use job descriptions as a guide only and that it is important to get a clear description from the employer at interview stage. Understanding where this role sits within the entire organization gives the candidate an understanding of the scope of the role and progression opportunities for the future.
- Potential career path
A candidate once asked me “how did the current manager earn their managerial position”?
The answer allowed for an open and honest discussion of what the organization expects out of its employees and what qualities they look for in their future leaders.
- Management style
An entire organization may have a certain ‘culture’ however every individual manager has a different leadership style. A common question is ‘what is the line manager like to work with’? Using this information assists a candidate to prepare correctly for an interview with the line manager and helps them assess if the style of this manager is right for them.
- Employee benefits
This is a very common and important question that gets asked as its usually the determining factor in their decision to accept a role. Firstly- We advise to look at the whole offer package and weigh up the pros and cons of each offer. For Example; Some companies may offer lower salaries in exchange for health care and free lunch- Others may offer a slightly higher salary with little other benefits or some may offer great flexibility and alternative working arrangements.
It’s important to talk to your recruiter about the entire benefits for employees to join them so a recruiter can best position the opportunity with potential employees.
As the work force evolves and becomes more complex it is important to ensure you understand the needs of the current employee market to attract the right people to your business.
– Nicole Reynolds