LazyDaisy Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 So I have a 2nd inteview coming up. I am even more nervous than I was for the first interview. This time I have to meet with the Vice President of the division. I will have to ask insiteful questions. I have no idea what to ask and I know I will get really nervous when asking them. I am going to write them down so I don't forget them. Any ideas on what I could ask? Link to comment
Scorpion Fury Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Would be helpful if I knew what industry you were in. Link to comment
mhowe Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ummm, no one here knows what the postion is....or the company Link to comment
GinNJuice Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Do you have any interest in the job, other than it's a paycheck? What are your goals and how will this position help you advance your career and reach your goals? Link to comment
LazyDaisy Posted December 18, 2013 Author Share Posted December 18, 2013 Would be helpful if I knew what industry you were in. I'm an accountant. The position is with an energy company. Link to comment
GinNJuice Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Ask them what accounting software and/or ERP system they use to keep their GL. Also ask what tools they use for reporting. Link to comment
tallydoo Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 I've always found it interesting to ask what drew them to the particular company, as well. Link to comment
mhowe Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Research the company to the nth degree. Ask them what changes they for see in the coming years and what challenges the industry changes will mean to the company. You should know that company inside out before you walk into that interview. Link to comment
john45 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 Do you know how long you have for the interview? I would suggest that if you get the chance to ask questions towards the end (please don't use this *right* at the end), try asking the following, using a pretty succinct form of words (don't waffle) "based on our discussions, do you have any reservations about my suitability for this role?" If there were one or two things in the interviewer's mind that perhaps were reservations, he/she may should come out with them at this point, hopefully giving you a second chance at answering them As an example "well... you have a great CV, but you the fact that you have four years post-qualification experience, isn't as much as other applicants we're seeing" "In the four years since I've qualified, at company X, I have taken the opportunity to do additional training (this and that), and have proactively added extra responsibilities to my role (training new staff, co-ordinating audit activities etc), shows that I have done a lot within those 4 years and that's evidence of the sort of enthusiasm and value I could bring to your company" GOOD LUCK - they must be interested in you to put you in front of a vice president!! Link to comment
GinNJuice Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ^^^DO NOT DO THIS! That is like asking, "Will I get the job?" and then arguing if you don't like their answer. I've had several jobs in accounting/finance, and their biggest problem is finding people who are good with software; not even programming it, just understanding the data and using the software. Things like Excel and ERP/GL software(if you don't know what these acronyms mean, you should look them up). Link to comment
john45 Posted December 18, 2013 Share Posted December 18, 2013 ^^^DO NOT DO THIS! That is like asking, "Will I get the job?" and then arguing if you don't like their answer. I don't agree with your view on this. If you ask the question respectfully, this shouldn't be a problem. You're inviting feedback, which might be useful to you even if you don't get this job, and you're showing a bit of initiative in asking a question that many people wouldn't I work as an IT director for a large corporate - I do a lot of interviewing (and I know I'm not perfect at it!), as do senior colleagues I deal with in HR and Finance. Some companies may have a culture where they hate that sort of question. Most people I know love getting decent and slightly challenging from interview candidates. If you're being interviewed by someone who may well end up as your boss, or division boss, there will be an element of what sort of communications you'd like to be able to have with that person. Link to comment
GinNJuice Posted December 19, 2013 Share Posted December 19, 2013 First, I'd like to agree with you on how tough it is to interview people, especially in this field. I agree with you on the feedback point, but I don't see why one couldn't just ask for feedback without pressuring them to compare to the competition. How is asking how they stack up against the competition a challenging question? I suppose this discussion is a reflection of the variety of possible attitudes one can encounter walking into an interview. I know when I'm interviewing, it's typically a painful process and after the first few, I just want someone who can do the job or be trained quickly, and preferably isn't crazy. She is trying to figure out questions that show an interest in the company or showcase herself in some way, since, it sounds like, she doesn't have a lot of experience. It just irks me when people ask questions like the one you suggested, because it typically comes from those who aren't going to get a positive response, then they want to argue. Why can't they just respect the process like everyone else? If the question is, "I have another offer, and I want to know where I stand?", that is a horse of another color. Now, I just tell everyone they're doing well. I'm curious, in interviews you conduct, how much weight do you give to, years of experience, compared to how they answer questions related to the subject? I've had people lie and embellish all kinds of things. Now candidates have to write code for me. Link to comment
LazyDaisy Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 I'm not going to ask any questions like that. I am only going to ask questions about the company and the job itself. I figure they wouldn't have brought me in for a 2nd interview if I wasn't what they are looking for. I do know that it is between myself and only one other person. Link to comment
john45 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I'm curious, in interviews you conduct, how much weight do you give to, years of experience, compared to how they answer questions related to the subject? I've had people lie and embellish all kinds of things. Now candidates have to write code for me. I try a mixture of interview/selection tactics. System Administrators usually get to do a pair exercise with one of my other sysadmins - I have an "ethical hacking" exercise they can do, or we setup some basic administration tasks. Developers - get partly assessed via a pair programming exercise and a team "game" Anyone I interview often gets asked to draw me a simple diagram around something they did. Oh... and I struggle with Project Managers, so open to suggestions on how to improve my recruitment of those folks! Link to comment
LazyDaisy Posted December 21, 2013 Author Share Posted December 21, 2013 So I had my second interview. It is between me and one other person. We both have similiar backgrounds. They will let me know on Monday. I don't know how I will get through the weekend. If I don't get this job I have no other options in the works and probably won't get another opportunity like this for years. I felt like it went well, but who knows. Link to comment
reader Posted December 21, 2013 Share Posted December 21, 2013 So I had my second interview. It is between me and one other person. We both have similiar backgrounds. They will let me know on Monday. I don't know how I will get through the weekend. If I don't get this job I have no other options in the works and probably won't get another opportunity like this for years. I felt like it went well, but who knows. Well even if you don't get the job you have to move on and find another opportunity. I been rejected for jobs I really wanted and just had to accept that there is something out there better for me. Good Luck Link to comment
john45 Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 So I had my second interview. It is between me and one other person. We both have similiar backgrounds. They will let me know on Monday. I don't know how I will get through the weekend. If I don't get this job I have no other options in the works and probably won't get another opportunity like this for years. I felt like it went well, but who knows. Keeping fingers crossed for you here! Link to comment
GinNJuice Posted December 22, 2013 Share Posted December 22, 2013 John, for the PMs I like those from an analyst background because they're more geared toward planning and documentation. Many developers can do it, but most don't like to. Project management is a lot of paper pushing, meetings, and meeting planning, so a knack for that administrative aspect is key. Link to comment
LazyDaisy Posted December 22, 2013 Author Share Posted December 22, 2013 Keeping fingers crossed for you here! Thank you - sending positive thoughts out to the universe - I will get this job!! Link to comment
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