When you go to a job interview, you fully expect to answer a lot of questions about yourself, your experience, your skills. That's what the interview is about.

But there's another part of the process, too - in most interviews, you'll be invited to ask questions about the job and the company. This is a golden opportunity for you, but it's only golden if you're ready to make the most of it.

So what do you ask about? If you're not prepared in advance, you'll look like a deer in the headlights, frozen, with nothing to say. Not good. You want to look prepared, polished and professional, and a set of good questions will go a long way to establish that image.

It's not just about image. There are some things you need to know and some things you'll want to know. Ask these questions and you'll walk away from the interview with a much better idea of what you're getting yourself into.

1. Can you tell me how this department is organized?

Any time you start a new job, you need to know who's who. At the very least, you need to know who your boss is, who your bosses' boss is, who are your peers and who you need to communicate with in other departments or other levels. Why is the question so important? Because some people require more attention than others. You're going to give more weight to what the boss wants than a minor assistant in another department. Other people may pester you more than the boss, because they have more time. Don't let distractions like this affect your focus. This question helps you map out who gets the most of your attention, so you can set priorities.

Followup: How would you describe the company's culture?

You may get a vague or generic answer to this question, but you need to ask anyway. There are key words that will clue you in to what kind of people you're working with - loose and relaxed or focused and professional or somewhere in between. It's up to you to decide if they're your kind of people, and if not, whether you can work with them.

2. The economy is hurting and many companies are laying off people now. How stable is this position and what are the growth plans here?

As we gallop towards a deep recession, this question is critical. Ideally, if you're interviewing at a public company, you should check out their stock price and see what the trend is. If it's been sinking for a long time, beware - you may be boarding a sinking ship. For smaller companies, ask how long they've been in business and how many employees they've usually had. What you want here is some idea of job security.

Followup: Are there any plans to sell the company or merge with another company?

This is important because if the company is sold or merged, everything about your job - pay, benefits, and responsibilities - is subject to change. It could mean more opportunity, or it could mean your job disappears. You can't really know in advance, but if you learn a sale or merger is in the future, be prepared for changes.

3. What do you expect me to know after I've been here for 90 days?

Every job has a learning curve - an initial period where management doesn't expect outstanding productivity, but they do expect you to learn what the job is all about. You'll be expected to be a team player, of course, but beyond that, you should know specifically what management wants. This will also help you establish your priorities when you begin work.

Followup: Are there opportunities for advancement? How long before I might be considered for one?

If you want to move up from the position you're applying for, then find out as much as you can now. It demonstrates your interest and initiative.

4. Can you tell me about your experience with other people in this position, both good and bad?

This expands on the question about 90-day expectations. It will also give you a gift-wrapped set of red flags about things that management doesn't like and clear pointers to things they do like. That information *is* golden.

Followup: What improvements would you like to see?

No further comment needed. You're in the gold mine - keep digging.

5. How do you prefer to communicate with your team?

This is a key question for deaf job applicants, because it shows awareness of communication concerns and your desire to deal with those concerns. This question gives you the opportunity to discuss alternatives communication strategies that work for everyone. This can go a long way to assuring employers that you, as a deaf employee, can do the job and communicate effectively with management and co-workers.

Followup question: Who will I communicate with most during my workday?

This is another question about attention and priorities. You may get your orders from the boss, but you'll probably be interacting more with your co-workers. Know who you'll work with most, so you can focus on getting to know them and the best ways to communicate with them.

There are, of course, many more good questions to be asked during a job interview. Depending on the position, there will very likely be other critical questions you must ask. So don't stop here - check the links below for more ideas on questions you can ask. Create your own list before the interview and bring it with you. Keep that list - you may need it again later. Think of your questions as the keys that unlock secrets you need to reveal. They may open the door to - not just any old job - but a job you really like and enjoy.

Questions You Should Ask During the Job Interview

Interview Questions to Ask the Interviewer (And questions NOT to ask)

Peer-level Questions to Ask (Questions to ask potential co-workers)

Industry Research (check out stock prices for public companies)

© Copyrighted material, used by permission. This article can not be copied, reproduced, or redistributed without the express written consent of the author. Author's views not necessarily those of i711.com.

View Comments  |  Add Comment  |   Email this Article