Questions about the organization
- What is the management style of this organization?
- What values do you find in this job environment?
Questions about the interviewer’s own career
- How did you first enter this job/career?
- What motivated you to pursue this work, and what motivates you to stay in it?
- What kind of background do you have? Did it help you in this field?
- How do you spend your time during a typical day?
Questions about the job, career or field
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of this field?
- What are the career prospects in this field?
- What kind of background is required for this type of position?
- What kind of experience (internships?) would be advantageous in this field?
- What technologies are integrated into this career?
- How would you recommend that someone break into this field?
- Is there something you would recommend I do to test whether this type of job is a fit for me?
- Is there any other information you can offer to help me understand what it might be like to work in this sort of job?
Questions about working conditions
- What are the typical working conditions of this job? (workload, expectations, dress codes, degree of independence, amount of supervision, closeness of relationships, pressures, degree of cooperation or competition)
- What is the philosophy of the company around flex time, sick leave, personal days, daycare?
- Is there much travel involved?
Questions about salary, benefits and promotion
- What kind of compensation (salary and benefits) can one expect?
- What are the possibilities for mobility? From one level to another? Between companies? Between states? Outside of the country?
Questions about referrals and future contacts
- Who else would you recommend I contact for more information?
- Could you recommend a person or organization that might provide a shadowing/externship experience for a day?