An interview is similar to dating. Each side of the equation has questions about the other necessary to establishing an effective, ongoing relationship that require honest, well thought-out answers.

Remember that the questions you bring to the table to ask the interviewer in the interview demonstrate your interest, preparation, as well as knowledge in the company for which you are interviewing.

Job Interview Questions
The interview is designed to learn as much as you can about your prospective employer while demonstrating your basic knowledge of the company. Employers want you to ask questions — this shows your interest in the company and the role that is open.

Critical interview questions include:

• What is the company’s mission/vision statement? Is your company living the this mission/vision now, or is this the direction in which you are heading?
• What is your vision for this department/role? Is it being lived out now within the organization?
• Why is this position open, and what are you looking for in the person taking the position?
• What is your background? How long have you been with the company, and why do you stay?
• Why should I work for your organization?
• How do you remain competitive in the marketplace?
• Why are your products/services better than your competitor’s?
• Describe the department — three things going well and three things that need improvement.  What do you believe needs to happen to ensure improvement?
• How do you see someone with my background and skills-set fitting within this organization?
• What type of training program(s) do you have in place (Organizational and positional)?
• What does your marketing program look like, and how successful is it?
• Are you meeting your revenue objectives this year? If not, what measures have you put in place to ensure that your revenue objectives are met?
• How quickly do you want to fill this position? How many people are you considering for this role?
• Through our conversation today, is there anything you see in my background, skills, or impact I can have on this organization that still concerns you?

These questions are just a few examples of key interview questions important in establishing your continued interest in an organization (as well as theirs in you).

It is also important to remember that throughout the interview, your primary objective is to ensure the company sees you as the most skilled, most qualified individual who can make the biggest impact on the organization. Therefore, your focus should be on obtaining information through which you can demonstrate the impact you can have on an organization.

The interview questioning process will help you decide if you want to keep “dating” the organization, and will enable you to know if the company is the right one for you.