ASKING ALL THE RIGHT QUESTIONS?

Matt • March 9, 2021

An interview is more than just a way for hiring managers to suss you out and see if you’re up to the job – it’s also a chance for you to ask some questions and find out if this job and company are the right fit for you.

So what kind of questions should you be asking?

It’s time to think about what do you want to know about the role, the company, the department and who you’ll be working with. Here are some key questions to get you started. Some of the points raised will certainly be covered during the course of your interview, so you can pick and choose which remain relevant.

Try and weave these questions into discussion rather than delivering them rapid fire, and save one or two for the inevitable ‘So, do you have any questions for us?’ part of the wrap-up stage of the interview.

The Role

You want to find out more about the day-to-day responsibilities and tasks involved with the job, and how adequately skilled or how keen you are to handle these.

Can you see examples of projects you’d be working on?
What skills and experiences are they looking for in an ideal candidate?
What attributes does a person need to succeed in this position?
Do they expect the main responsibilities for the role to change in the next six months to a year?
What are the major challenges that a person in this position will face?
What does a typical working day look like?
What projects will need to be immediately addressed?
What budget will you be working with?
Is this an existing or newly created role?
What skills is the existing team missing that they’re looking to find with a new hire?

Your Progress

You’ll want to find out up front what the goals of the role are and how your progress and success will be measured.

What is the performance review process here?
How often will you be formally reviewed?
What goals or metrics will your performance measured against?
What are the things they would most like to see you accomplish in the first 30, 60, and 90 days of the job?
What are the performance expectations of this position over the initial year?

Professional Development Opportunities

Think about how this role can help you get take the next step towards your career goals.

How are you going to be trained?
Where has the person who last held this job moved on to?
Where have successful employees who held this position progressed to?
Are there training programmes available to employees?
What are the opportunities for professional development and career advancement?
Will you be able to represent the organisation at industry conferences?

The Organisation

Think about what you want to know about the company as a whole.

Where do they see the company headed in the next few years?
What about the company’s future most excites them?
What can they tell you about new products, projects or plans for growth?
You’ve read about the company’s founding, but could they tell you more about ___?
What are the organisation’s current goals, and how does the team you’d be working with support reaching those goals?

Who You’ll Be Working With

Find out more about the people you’ll be working alongside to figure out if it’s the right team for you.

Who will you report to directly?
Who will you be working alongside?
Who will you be working with most closely?
What are the current team’s strengths and their biggest challenges?
Which other departments work most closely with this one?
Do they expect to hire any more people for this team in the next six months?
What are the common career paths in this team and wider department?

Your Interviewer

Asking your interviewer questions about themselves and their role at the company can help you build rapport, and get a personal view of what it’s like to work here.

What’s their favorite part of working here?
How long have they been working with the organisation?
Why did they come to this company?
What did they do before the joined the team here?
Has their role changed much since they joined the company?

Matt is a Director of The Talent Hive and leads the Engineering recruitment practice within the business. Originally from the UK he’s been living in New Zealand for 12 years. Matt is a retired ‘amateur’ athlete who has given up chasing great marathon times for chasing his young children around the park, a far more worthy (if not exhausting) pursuit.

At The Talent Hive we specialise in connecting Engineering & IT professionals with the right career opportunities. We encourage collaboration, socialising your success and sharing industry insight and expertise. Start the journey, connect with The Talent Hive today

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Temp & Contract Recent Trends

May 1, 2024

The economic conditions are influencing the contract employment landscape in several ways. Here are some of the trends Talent Hive has seen recently. Demand Shifts NZ firms facing economic headwinds are hesitant to commit to FTE hires but with projects and deadlines still to deliver on, there is likely to be more reliance on temporary and contract solutions to manage workloads in the coming months. Available Talent Although not widespread, layoffs and restructures in the Tech sector could lead to a larger pool of candidates available for temporary and contract work, and Talent Hive has seen an increase in enquiries from people looking to understand how they might set themselves up for contract engagements. This has the potential to increase competition but could also provide businesses with access to qualified talent on a flexible basis. Tech Sector Specifics We are seeing an increase in demand for contract staff recently, particularly Software Developers, Integration and Solution Architects, and Business Analysts. This upswing in demand is reflected in the recent Seek job listings data. There are 207 Contract IT/Tech roles advertised on Seek today and 23% of those contract roles have been listed in the last 7 days. 52 of the 207 contract roles advertised are for Software Eng/Developers with 30 listed ads for Contract BA’s. Wage Control In Stats NZ’s latest update, New Zealand's salary rates actually increased by 4.1 percent in the year to March. That labour cost growth slightly outstripped inflation, which was sitting at 4 percent. Contract hourly rates in the Technology sector have stabilised in recent months as hiring demand has decreased and we may even see hourly rates come back a little, particularly for role types where there is an oversupply of contract talent. Hybrid Work Trend One trend we are certainly seeing in the contract market are fewer remote work opportunities. Increasingly there is a requirement for contractors to have the ability to work some of the week at a designated office and this is restricting the opportunities contractors are able to go for. Full remote work options aren’t completely gone but they are significantly reduced. Contract candidates must be open to in-office work for at least some portion of their engagement. Overall, the current climate creates a complex landscape for both businesses seeking talent and professionals exploring temporary and contract opportunities. Success for Contractors will depend on adaptability, flexibility around rates, and contract length. Talent Hive's Value Talent Hive's understanding of the current market dynamics, along with our strong network of skilled professionals, positions us uniquely to support both clients and candidates Addressing Uncertainty: For businesses navigating hiring uncertainty, Talent Hive offers flexible staffing solutions. We have access to contract talent that are ready to fill immediate skill gaps and help organisations manage fluctuating workloads. Beyond Just Tech Skills: We understand that finding the right technical expertise is only half the battle. Talent Hive's strong connections within the contractor talent pool allow us to identify professionals who are not only technically capable but also a strong cultural and organisational fit for our clients. This approach ensures smoother onboarding and a positive impact for both the contractor and the employer. We would like to share some of the contractors we’re working with at the moment. Click below to view some of the great IT talent we're working with to find roles at the moment.