Page 124 - John Kador - 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview-McGraw-Hill (2002)

QUESTIONS FOR HIRING MANAGERS

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The best companies rely on rich customer data to fuel personalized
content and services. How is the company doing in personalizing its
offerings?
The question demonstrates your understanding of how the Internet has
changed marketing and customer service. Be prepared to demonstrate
how you can advance the company in its personalization objectives.

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Customers are expecting companies to protect their data. Does the com-
pany have a privacy policy for its Web initiatives, and how does the com-
pany balance the momentum for ever-increasing personalization with
rising concerns for privacy?
If you ask this question, be sure you have some concrete experience in
this area.

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How empowered are employees? How much of the company’s money
can your people (including the ones with single-digit pay grades) spend
on their own recognizance to satisfy a customer or address a work-
process issue?
You are asking for evidence that the organization pays more than lip
service to employee empowerment.

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How often would I come into direct contact with real, living, breathing,
paying customers?
This question goes to how much the organization trusts its employees. Ex-
posing customers to employees can be risky, but without significant customer
contact, no employee can appreciate what it really means to be successful.

6 BEST QUESTIONS FOR COMPANY
FOUNDERS AND OWNERS

If your interview is with the founder or owner of the company, espe-
cially if your position proposes to take on activities currently handled by
the founder or owner, you have a special challenge.

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