By Dr. Mel Schnapper

Too many job hunters maintain a Passive attitude during the interview and ask very few questions about the job itself.

The questions they do tend to ask are usually informational and self-oriented, such as: "When will I be reviewed for my performance?" Or "What kind Of salary increases can I expect over the years?" These questions are employee benefit-oriented. They don't tell the interviewer that you are interested in what you can contribute to the company.

By being employer benefit-oriented, you will distinguish yourself from other equally or even more qualified candidates. You will be the candidate most concerned about addressing the company's needs.

Though many candidates may have good answers, few have good questions; and the truth is interviewers judge candidates as much on the questions they ask as on the answers they provide.

Good questions are those that:

*Impress the interviewer, and

*Tell you what you want to know about the company.

Many people have accepted a job without knowing what they were getting into. One cynic has described the job interview as a meeting of two liars: the interviewer lying about what a great place the company is and the interviewee lying about how competent he or she is.

The question phase of the interview is important because it gives you the opportunity to control the process after the interviewer has passed the baton on to you. The questions you ask will show the interviewer that your focus is on getting the job done, as opposed to what perks you'll receive in the job.

The other goal behind the question phase is to gather enough information about the job to ensure your effectivess and success once you have the position.

The most impressive employer benefit-oriented, questions to ask are:

"What do you want me to accomplish in my first year here?" By asking up-front for performance objectives, you’re displaying your task-oriented focus.

"How do you reward excellent performance?" or "What are the career opportunities for someone who produces consistently excellent results?" These questions show the interviewer that you are concerned solely with excellence.

"Who has a vested interest in whoever gets this job, and what do they expect the person to achieve/deliver/improve? When can I interview them?"

"Why was the job created?" Every job is someone’s idea of a solution to a problem.

"What would you like me to do better than the incumbent or the person who had the job before?"

"What is the most critical and helpful change I could make?"

"What does it take to be successful here?"

"What do you look for an ideal subordinate?"

-"How would you define the best results in this department?"

"Could we brainstorm some possible approaches to some of the issues you raised earlier?"

"How and how often will I know if I am meeting your expectations?"

Toward the end of the interview:

"Are there any questions you expected of me which I didn't ask?"

Hopefully you'll get a "no." If not, as soon as you're told the question, follow up.

"If you could hire me now, would you?" You must ask a question that provokes feedback so you'll have the opportunity to respond. Other ways of getting feedback are:

"So how well do I fit your criteria for the position?" or "As one of your final candidates, how do I rank?

"Is there anything in my background or how I interviewed that gives you concern?"

You must push for negative data since so many interviewers will not give it to you. Remember, you will not create negative data by asking for it - it's either there already or it's not. The interview session is the only opportunity you'll have to address the interviewer's objections.

[The questions you ask will show the interviewer that your focus is on getting the job done, as opposed to what perks you’11 receive in the job.]

"Who should I contact and when?" Do not leave the interview with ambiguity about your next steps. When you are told that the interviewer will get back to you after a certain date, repeat the date and your expectation that you will receive an answer by then. You probably won't, however, you can then call them the day after.

You should also include this date in the last sentence of your follow-up letter: As we agreed, I will hear from you by February 4th abou" my status for the position.,

Mel Schnapper is president Of Successful Job Hunting, Inc., a firm with offices in D.C. and Chicago, offering counseling, workshops, and the video tape "Winning at job Hunting"