Page 120 - John Kador - 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview-McGraw-Hill (2002)

QUESTIONS FOR HIRING MANAGERS

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How does the company contribute to thought leadership in its
market?
This is an elegant way of inquiring about the company’s commitment
to a leadership position in articulating the issues of the industry. How
important is it for you to be part of such an intellectual environment?
Can you contribute?

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A company’s most critical asset is its knowledge base. How advanced is
the company’s commitment to knowledge management?
This question demonstrates a high level of thinking about an emerging
competency: the management of actionable knowledge so that it can be
used across the company.

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I was pleased to hear you describe the company’s branding strategy.How
does branding fit into the overall marketing mix?
Branding is, like “quality” or “customer service,” a value that everyone
in the company should be building. Be sure you have something to say
about branding before you bring up a question like this.
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How does this position contribute to the company’s goals, productivity,
or profits?
This is a variation on a very strong question that links the position
and the company’s hot buttons in a way that lets you speak to your
strengths.

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According to (name source), your principal competitor, Brand X, is the
best-selling product in the space. What does Brand X do better than
your product?
A provocative question, it is true, but it’s no news to the interviewer. The
question shows that you have done your research and suggests that you
understand the company can’t improve unless it understands what the
competition does better. The hope is that you have some salient experi-
ence you can offer in this regard.

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