Questions for each round and side of a job interview

Is there a gap in my experience that you would want closed before I see patients alone?

For a PA the reservation is usually specific: no time in this specialty, few procedures, a short rotation. Hearing it in the room lets you answer with a plan, such as extra supervised sessions in the first month, instead of leaving it for the discussion after you have gone.

From: Physician Assistant Job Interview Questions to Ask an Employer

What do margins look like after discounts, shipping and returns, and can the team see that by product?

Revenue targets with no view of margin push people toward discounts and ad spend that lose money. Profit visible by product or by order is the sign of a mature setup. Where only finance can see it, expect to spend your first months requesting exports before you can tell which bestsellers lose money.

From: Questions to Ask in an Ecommerce Interview

Is your visa going to be renewed?

Dropped into a chat over lunch, it singles one employee out by where they come from. When right-to-work papers are looked at again is a matter for local rules, and rechecking only certain people can be a problem in its own right. Leave it with whoever keeps those records, on the dates the procedure sets.

From: Interview Questions Not to Ask Candidates

Who would I report to, and are they here today?

In a group interview the actual manager is sometimes absent, which tells you the session is a screen rather than a decision. If they are present, everything you ask afterwards should be aimed at them.

From: Questions to Ask During a Group Interview

How is the pay or stipend for this position set, and who can tell me the figure?

In many universities the number comes off a published scale or a funder's stipend table and the PI cannot move it, so the thing to check is the grade or year you would be placed on. In industry and private labs it is more often open to negotiation. Being passed to HR or a graduate office is normal: take down the name.

From: Questions to Ask at a Lab Interview

Tell me about a time you had a conflict with a coworker. How did you resolve it?

Expect some version of this in most interviews, and prepare it first. The interviewer is listening for a disagreement about the work, a direct conversation with the person and an ending both could live with. A story where you were simply right and the other person was difficult will be probed until it falls apart, so choose a real conflict with something at stake.

From: Behavioral Interview Questions