Remember: You are Interviewing them too.
When you interview for your next hourly job, consider that you want the job to be a good fit for you. Most job seekers are so preoccupied with what others will think of them during an interview (and rightly so) that they may forget that an interview and a visit to a business is also an opportunity to gauge the culture of the organization, the employer / employee relationships, and more. An interview is a two-way street, and it is important to think about what you’d like to learn about the job from the interviewer.
When asked to share what characterizes a good boss, employees often name traits such as patience, trust, clear expectations, good communication skills, and faith in his/her employees. Prior to your interview, take some time to consider what you want out of your next boss. Have this idea in mind as you go on interviews. Be observant as you visit prospective employers – do the employees seem happy at their jobs, or do they grudgingly clock in and out each day? If you have the opportunity to talk with an employee – especially one who is doing a job similar to the one you are applying for, ask them how they feel about the work environment, and if they’d recommend the job to a friend who is job searching.
Additionally, use the opportunity of an interview to ask a few questions of your prospective boss, to get to know him/her and the company a little better. Here are a few examples:
- What is your organization’s management style, and what type of employee fits well with it?
- Can you give me an example of something your organization does to show how it values its employees?
- What do you most enjoy about your work here?
- What is the company’s policy on providing workshops, and other training opportunities so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?
Do not be timid about asking questions such as these. They demonstrate that you’ve put time in preparing for your job interview and that you’ve thought about your future job situation. As a rule of thumb, never ask about salary and benefits unless the employer has already brought these subjects up. Also, avoid asking questions that can be answered by reading the organization’s web site. Open-ended questions tend to be better than those that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Keep in mind that your prospective employer will make judgments about you based not only on your answers to their questions, but also based on the questions you ask of them.