What questions to ask a potential employer when I interview him?

Ask about the interviewers history of the company, what is a regular day like, what are some positive and negatives about management, do you like your job and what do you like most, what is the turn over like, how many people have been hired in a two year span, is this job a new position or an open position and if it is open what happened to the person previously in the position, how involved is the CEO or coo with the management and business practices, salaried or hourly, can we work overtime if needed, is overtime needed, is it optional, do you prefer an inventive employee who takes initiative or do you prefer a precise employee who will follow exact directions with no deviation, do you prefer autonomy or updates and managed approval for each step, do you have a defined tried and true process or is it succeptable to change based on experience, do you have any concerns about anything I have said in the interview that I may address, in five years where do you expect me to be, what do you expect from a desirable employee (when they describe or answer any of these questions you must give feedback and justify why you feel you fit he bill of what they want. Think of it as a conversation and not an interrogation) usually you will know if you have the job because the interviewer more often than not will unintentionally imitate similarly the way you are seated. For example I clasp my hands together and rest them on the table. If the interviewer sits the same way, then you're probably in. People do this when they want to be liked. I have also noticed when more than one interviewer is there, if they keep grabbing people and pulling them in to meet you, or if you are interviewing with someone in a completely different department along with who you would be working with or for, and you will probably never see this person again then it is because the person before you was fired and they are asking multiples to sit in to make better choices. Also, ask for a timeline on the hiring process, what's the next step or when will you hear back-- if someone has the nerve to ask if you are interviewing elsewhere then it's because they are wondering how much longer can they interview to find the best candidat before they are at risk of losing you, so you shall always say yes you are interviewing elsewhere you had an interview yesterday but have not yet heard back, however you are looking for a good company and that is why you have so many questions.

If you are a salary employee then never say yes to the first offer of pay. You ask them if you could have two days to consider it and a handbook of policy and benefit to read over, because then they will suspect you are interviewing with other people and are waiting for another offer. After you wait, call and request more money on the phone, tell them you thought about it and you are thankful for the offer but you were hoping to get paid a bit higher. They will ask how much, you state your figure, they will say either no or ask you to wait and get back to you. If they say no outright then take the job because they are going to ask someone else. Do not negotiate the price more than once.

/r/Advice Thread