Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/591411
The Art of Manliness Continued JOBS for TEAMS | 38 www.jobsfor teams.com the interview, so be sure to have a back-up. • What is the history of this posi- tion? Is it newly created? If not, why did the previous person leave it? — It's beneficial to know the history of the position you're interviewing for. Is it newly creat- ed? If so, you have the opportunity to set the standard. Has the posi- tion seen 5 employees in 5 years? You may want to think twice about taking it. This can be uncomfortable to ask, but is necessary on your end to know what kind of role you're getting into. Questions About the Future • Is there room for advance- ment or career training in this position? — If the answer is no, you may not want the position. If the answer is yes, it's helpful to know what you can aspire to. It also signals to the interviewer that you have ambition and that you set your sights high. • Is there the opportunity for mentorship within this posi- tion? — This is somewhat depen- dent on the individual. For some folks, it's very important to have career mentorship from a manager or executive; if this is important to you, ask away. This will signal to the interviewer that you are interested in growth — nobody wants a static employee who plateaus in their first week. Questions About Success • How will you define success for this position? — When expecta- tions are vague, feedback is hard to come by, and you may be held to standards you didn't know existed. You want to know exactly what they think a successful employee will accomplish in this position. There should be specific goals, too, versus something broad like, "Increase sales through marketing and advertising." • What are the most important objectives for this position in the first few months? — This is a follow-up question to the previ- ous, and is important because how you kick off a new job is crucial in determining your future at that company. Will you immediately establish yourself as a go-getter, or as mediocre and inefficient? Know- ing some immediate objectives will help you make sure you're on the right course. You can also determine if the expectations are reasonable; if you're asked to do too much in the first few months, it may be an unfor- tunate sign of things to come. Questions About the Company • What are the 5- and 10-year goals of the company? — This tells the interviewer that you're thinking about the future, and that you care about where the company is going. You'll get an idea of wheth- er this is a company you want to stick around with or not. • What's the company culture like? Do co-workers eat lunch together? Do you have regu- lar team events? — You see this question a lot in lists like this, but it's often too vague. Asking simply