iRecruitExecutives

Yes, you should rehearse a little bit. Practice with family or friends. Have a general idea of how you would answer the questions so you aren't fumbling for words during the interview. It's like anything else, you just have to practice.

The questions you ask may depend on the position and company. I always tell my candidates this: You are interviewing them just as much as they are interviewing you. Ask the questions you would NEED to have the answer to in order to accept the job. You don't want to be trying to ask questions later on if they're already ready to make you an offer.

You'll also want to ask when you can expect to hear from them, and ask them if they think you could do the job or how you compare to other candidates. Be prepared for honesty.

I normally do not recruit college undergrads, however, I'll take a stab at this: The intangibles! Since college grads usually do not have much relevant work experience, they are looking for the intangibles. Does this person fit with our culture? Are they motivated and entrepreneurial? Do they communicate well? Will they stay with us for more than a year?

Some skills are relevant to ANY position, so your goal is to showcase those skills.

That's the first time I've ever heard of something like that happening. I don't agree with their view, I think it's perfectly fair to ask how you stack up against the competition.

That being said, I do tend to prefer to ask it the other way: "Do you believe I have the qualifications to fulfill the short and long term requirements of the role?"

Just be prepared for honesty and be ready to overcome any objections.

Question 1: When do you plan to reach a decision or when can I expect to hear an update?

Some candidates don't ask this question then they spend the next 2 weeks wondering when/if they're going to hear something. ASK!

Question 2: Basically, How'd I do? Very effective. I usually instruct candidates to say "So, as I understand it, you're looking for a (insert job title) who can handle (insert position focus). Tell me, do I have the qualifications to fulfill the short and long term requirements of the role?

Think about how effective that second question is. You're basically saying: if you have any objection to hiring me, I'd like to know what it is.