Other Probing Questions — often for high-level assignments
1. Could you please describe the management team to me?
2. Does the company have a Net-use policy?
3. Will I receive my assignments from IT or from the business
unit?
4. Do developers have little contact with the business unit or
significant contact?
5. Can you show or sketch me an organizational chart?
6. If for any reason you were unable to function as CEO, how
would you like to see the company managed?
7. To whom does the chief information or technology officer
report?
8. How would you describe the degree to which you want your
heirs to have strategic or operational influence in the company until
one of them is ready to assume the role of COO or CEO?
9. What are you hoping to accomplish, and what will be my role
in those plans?
10. May I see a job description? What are the most important
responsibilities of the job?
11. How much time should be devoted to each area of
responsibility?
12. What is my spending/budget authority?
13. What initial projects would I be tackling?
14. What are the biggest technical challenges ahead for this
department/ company?
15. Presuming that I’m successful on this assignment, where else
might I be of service to the company?
16. Traditionally, companies have used IT to reduce bottom-line
costs. But I am excited about the use of IT to advance top-line
opportunities such as creating new products and identifying new
markets. Can you talk about how IT is used in this company to create
top-line value?
17. What structured strategies for software testing have you
found effective here?
18. Does the company use an IT steering committee?
19. If you put all the salespeople in a line from your best to
the merely acceptable performer, what are the earnings of the 50th
percentile? The 25th? The 75th?
20. Can you describe the performance of the sales team?
21. What is the commission structure, and what is my earning
potential in 1,3,5, or 10 years?
22. What percentage of salespeople attain objectives?
23. What percentage of the current people are above and below
their set goals?
Questions That Are Defensive — designed to protect the employee
1. I understand the company has experienced layoffs within the
last two years. Can you review the reasons why they were necessary?
2. How were the layoffs handled in terms of notification,
severance, outplacement services, etc.?
3. What rewards have you found effective in recognizing and
rewarding exceptional work?
4. Are there formal metrics in place for measuring and rewarding
performance over time?
5. How effectively has the company communicated its top three
business goals?
6. I am a hard worker, and like to be around hard-working
people. Am I going to be comfortable with the level of effort I find
here?
7. Is the company’s training strategy linked to the company’s
core business objectives?
8. How does your firm handle recognition for a job well done?
9. When was the last time you rewarded a subordinate for his or
her efforts? What token of appreciation did you offer?
10. How does the firm recognize and learn from a brave attempt
that didn’t turn out quite as expected?
11. If I were a spectacular success in this position after six
months, what would I have accomplished?
12. How much freedom would I have in determining my objectives
and deadlines?
13. How long has this position existed in the organization? Has
its scope changed recently?
14. Do you foresee this job involving significant amounts of
overtime or work on weekends?
15. What are the greatest challenges I will face in this position
in furthering the agenda of the organization?
16. Are my tasks limited to my job description, or will I be
performing duties outside the described job scope?
Questions Designed to Get Feedback
1. How do you like me so far?
2. Do you have any concerns about my ability to do the job and
fit in?
3. Is there anything standing in the way of us coming to an
agreement?
4. Do you have any concerns about my experience, education,
skills?
5. How do I compare with the other candidates you have
interviewed?
6. Describe your ideal candidate. What do my qualifications lack
compared to those of the theoretical ideal candidate?
7. I’m ready to make a decision based on the information I have.
Is there anything else I can elaborate on so that you would have a
better understanding of my qualifications and suitability for this
position?
8. Are there any areas in which you feel I fall short of your
requirements?
9. Can you give me any feedback that would make me more
attractive to the company in the future or that I could benefit from
next time?
10. Is there anything else you need from me to have a complete
picture of my qualifications?