‘Questions for Impact in Interviews’
Making your next professional step or changing organisations is often a life changing move. As such, it requires the right level of time and attention to ensure it is the right next step for you and for the organisation you are joining.
Sometimes this can feel daunting and we often people are ill prepared for how to tackle and approach this from inception.
We suggest starting with the big questions … because these are often the most impactful and here is a few that pack a punch:
1. How does the organisation view their people as a key part of their success and how is this reflected in the organisational approach to leadership and people management?
2 . What does the organisation value most, in terms of key pillars for ongoing future success and where are they now versus where they want to be in the short to medium term?
3. What does the organisation perceive that has brought them success to date and where are they lagging, or need most support to further thrive and grow?
4. What does ‘bringing your true self’ to work look like day-to-day in their world?
5. What does flexible working look like for people in the organisation?
6. What is the organisation’s appetite for risk and making mistakes and what happens if people experience a failure?
7. How visible is the business around performance indicators and financials, and how is this communicated across the business?
8. What is the leadership mantra in the business and how does this manifest to culture and engagement?
Questions around the specifics of the role, salary and your direct team are of course critical, however a first interview should be an exploration, first and foremost, of values and ethical alignment, people leadership and wider organisational thinking.
An interview should always be a two-way exchange and whilst you will typically not have time to cover off all of the above in one meeting, pick a couple that resonate most strongly to explore and then ensure that throughout any process, you have an opportunity to cover off due diligence and ask the questions that will shape your thinking.
‘Remember that whilst it may sometimes feel uncomfortable to ask your future or potential employer hard questions, this will typically only reinforce the thought you have given to this next step, your EQ and relay what genuinely matters to you as an individual. Stand out and ensure that you do the require due diligence to avoid buyer’s remorse!’
Changing a job is one of life’s larger decisions and we often define ourselves and other’s (consciously/ unconsciously) by what we do for work and make assumptions about ourselves and others accordingly. Most of us spend a large amount of our lives working so this is a pivotal decision for both security and happiness and deserves to be treated as such.
For further support or advice on your next steps, you can visit us at: fusionpartners.co.nz
