Many companies say they have a nonpunitive attitude toward managers who make mistakes, but few live up to the attitude. Ask about a time when the lessons from a mistake were widely disseminated across the organization.
Defensive questions are designed to make sure you want the job. By this time, the organization has either offered you the job or expressed a strong interest in your qualifications. Relish it. You will never be in a position of greater strength. Now is the time to ask the tough questions that will give you the information on which you can make the best decision for your career.
Every salesperson has a quota. If a larger percentage of salespeople fail to meet quota, it indicates that either the quota is too high or the sales team is inadequate.
Get a sense of how the hiring manager defines the technical challenges and be prepared to sell yourself against those outcomes.
An organizational chart is a road map to the company’s structure and how much authority you will have.
Exploring questions probe for details about the job, company, management, and people you would be working with. Even more, these questions demonstrate that you have invested in researching the company. This levels the power between you and the interviewer, who now is uncertain about how much you already know about the company. As a general rule, approach these questions about products, customers, and processes as would a consultant. You are the expert engaged in an informational interview so that you can render an expert opinion.
Public companies-those raising funds by selling stock-are by law required to disclose certain aspects of their ownership, organization, and financial results. Private companies are not required to do so, and many such firms stay private precisely because they prefer to protect such details. You, however, need to understand certain details of how the company is funded and organized so you can make an informed decision about whether it’s a good fit for you. If you want to make the best decision possible for yourself, there is no alternative but to ask. The more senior the position you are applying for, the more expected it is for you to ask the hard questions.
If your interview is with the founder or owner of the company, especially if your position proposes to take on activities currently handled by the founder or owner, you have a special challenge. All the other questions in this book are fair game, and will give you good information. But the main challenge of working with a company founder or owner is not in getting the job offer, but in succeeding at the job. If it doesn’t work out, often it won’t be because of performance but because of the inability of the company founder or owner to let go of the reins. Thus, the questions you ask in this circumstance need to give you sharp information about fit.
The question demonstrates your understanding of how the Internet has changed marketing and customer service. Be prepared to demonstrate how you can advance the company in its personalization objectives.
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