Ask Questions Before an Interview

It’s amazing that so few candidates for executive positions will ask questions before an interview. It’s not cheating. In fact, it’s often encouraged as it shows your interest in the position.

If you have a friend or connection who already works at the organization they applied to, they can be a wealth of knowledge. If you don’t have someone, ask the contact person who set up the interview. The information you learn can give you a big advantage over those who don’t bother to ask.

Outside recruiters will happily tell you almost everything they know. Why? They want you to perform well. It’s not because they like you, as an individual, necessarily. Mostly, it’s because it makes them look good to their client, the employer, if you are impressive. Conversely, if you show up and bomb, then it makes them look bad. Recruiters have a vested interest in all of their candidates performing well.

How many candidates are being interviewed? What is most important to the interviewers? Are there specifics about personality types of the interviewers you can share? There are so many questions you can ask.

Think about what you would like to know prior to the interview and have your questions ready for your contact. If you’re afraid to raise your hand and ask, someone else will claim the extra credit.