Interview the Interviewer

There are many books and blogs and workshops about preparing for the interview. They talk about issues ranging from wearing appropriate clothing to bringing copies of relevant documents. These are important items, but there is one that could be expanded on a little better: Ask questions in the interview. Good advice, but not everyone can think of questions in the middle of the pressure of an interview. So the easy solution: Don't.

It's a good idea to have questions prepared ahead time, just in case you don't think of any while sitting in the hot seat across from the interviewer. It's important to showing your interest and ability to be prepared from the very start in a competitive job market.

 

Research the company:

There aren't many businesses that don't have a presence on the web anymore. Is there good or bad news out there that might suggest questions about upcoming business opportunities or challenges? How do they see their business growing in the future?

Interview the interviewer:

Ask the interviewer about their experience at the company. What are the benefits and challenges of working for this particular organization?

One idea is to look them up through social media sites liked LinkedIn or Twitter. As more and more people are opting into the social media / networking model it's getting easier to find out information about professionals and be prepared to meet them. There may be some common interest or experience that you can identify and have as a relevant conversation point in the interview.

 
 

Web Resources:

Job Seekers Advice: http://www.jobseekersadvice.com/interview_advice/articles/questions_to_ask_in_interviews.htm

CareerBuilder : http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-656-Getting-Hired-10-Questions-to-Dazzle-Would-Be-Employers/