One of the areas I always feel most challenged by in an interview is the "Do you have any questions?" portion. In almost every situation, it is incumbent upon the interviewee to have a question, you do not look interested and/or maximally intelligent otherwise.
Of course every interview is situational so there are no specific scripts you can rely on, but here are three "question themes" you can take into an interview
What part of ________ is making this issue important for you now?
Intention: Get more background detail, firm up your understanding of the high-level motivation for the position. Example:
"So is this team expansion driven entirely by your recent growth or are you reacting to a recent competitive development?"
Near-term/long-term, how do the priorities break down?
Intention: Understanding what matters when you land at the desk and down the road. This depends on the presentation of the position up to that point. Example:
"I understand you are addressing A, B, and C in the near-term, and that D is your long-term goal. Who else is looking at B in the near term, or do I own that issue entirely?"
Has the company dealt with a similar issue in the past?
Intention: Is this a new strategy in response to a new issue, or are you being hired to manage a validated program?
"Where are you looking for any innovative thinking to be a focus, in creating the solution or executing the process?"
Again, these need to be tailored to the situation and your approach and language, but I've found them to be useful reminders that keep me on the lookout during an interview, and generally lead to a more detailed/pointed question during the follow-up.
What about you? Have any "question cues" that you rely on? Please comment and share.
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