Find out what happened to the last person in the job. Ask the interviewer about his experiences and those of his superiors. Find out to whom the position reports and how long that person has been in the job. Pinpoint the authority that goes with the job, and find out what they expect you to accomplish in the first six months.

      "What would be the biggest challenge I would face?" If the interviewer has some reservations, ask a question that is likely to surface them. Don't forget-you're better off knowing their concerns so that you can deal with them.

      Sometimes interviewers will get directly to the point and tell you exactly what they are looking for. That makes it easy. However, throughout these sessions you should put your listening ability to work. One of the easiest ways to impress people is to ask intelligent and penetrating questions about the firm and the position.

      And, find out how the interviewer sees the problem, what the expectations are, and what progress has been made. When you do this, you're learning the unwritten requirements of the job.

© 2010 Robert J. Gerberg    All rights reserved