Are there any good questions you can ask a hiring manager?

Summary

In this video, the speaker provides valuable insights on how to navigate company politics during job interviews. Rather than asking broad questions about office politics, they suggest focusing on specific inquiries, like the common complaints developers face or the level of test coverage in projects. The speaker emphasizes the importance of evaluating the hiring manager's genuineness and soft skills, as these qualities reveal how they handle challenges. The key takeaway is that specific, detailed questions can provide a clearer understanding of a company's work environment and culture.

Takeaways

• 😀 Clarify what 'company politics' means before asking about it in an interview, as it can be interpreted in many ways.
• 😀 Instead of asking vague questions about company politics, ask for specific details, such as common concerns or complaints from employees.
• 😀 Ask direct and specific questions to avoid ambiguity and get concrete answers, such as asking about 'test coverage' instead of just 'testing.'
• 😀 Managers might not have a comprehensive understanding of the company's politics, especially if they have been there for a short time (e.g., 6 months).
• 😀 Asking broad questions like 'How do you deal with office politics?' can lead to vague and unhelpful answers. Narrow the focus for better insights.
• 😀 Look for signs of a manager's genuineness. A genuine, intelligent, and socially capable manager can handle workplace challenges more effectively.
• 😀 Office politics can mean different things to different people, so it's essential to ask about the specific issues or frustrations that developers face in the company.
• 😀 Companies often have policies and specifications that might limit even the most capable managers in making changes, so understand the broader context.
• 😀 It's crucial to understand the underlying issues employees face, like external dependencies or internal complaints, rather than just asking about vague terms like 'company politics.'
• 😀 A manager’s willingness to engage in open and honest conversation can often give you a better sense of the company's environment than any generic answer about politics.
• 😀 Ultimately, getting to the details is key—understand what the actual complaints are (e.g., not having test coverage) rather than just hearing broad statements.

Q & A

What is the difficulty with asking directly about company politics in an interview?

Asking directly about company politics is difficult because it is a vague and broad term. It can mean different things to different people, such as promotions, policies, work procedures, or external dependencies. A clear and specific answer is hard to obtain with such a broad question.

How can you improve the effectiveness of your questions in an interview about company politics?

You can improve the effectiveness of your questions by making them more specific. Instead of asking vague questions like 'How do you handle company politics?', you should ask targeted questions such as 'What are the most common complaints from the software developers?' or 'What are the usual concerns from the team about work processes?'

Why is it important to understand the specific complaints of employees when evaluating a company's work environment?

Understanding the specific complaints helps you gauge the actual issues in the workplace. General complaints, like poor coffee machines, may not matter to you, but concerns about workloads, policies, or management could have a significant impact on your work experience.

What is the potential issue with asking a vague question like 'How do you handle office politics?'

Vague questions like 'How do you handle office politics?' are too broad, making it hard to get concrete or specific answers. Such questions may lead to general or high-level responses that don’t provide useful insight into the actual environment or issues of the company.

What is a better approach than asking about 'how office politics are handled' in an interview?

A better approach is to ask specific, targeted questions such as 'What is the most common complaint from the software development team?' or 'What kinds of improvements have employees requested?' These questions narrow down the scope and provide more meaningful and concrete responses.

How can you tell if a manager is genuine during an interview?

You can assess if a manager is genuine by observing their communication style. Look for signs of honesty, transparency, and willingness to listen. Genuine managers are approachable, open to feedback, and display empathy in their responses.

Why does the manager’s level of experience matter when assessing company politics?

A manager's experience is important because someone who has been at the company for a short time, like 6 months, might not have full knowledge of the company’s history, culture, or internal politics. Their ability to handle these issues could be limited by their tenure and lack of influence within the organization.

What’s the risk in expecting managers to solve all company political issues?

Even if a manager is well-intentioned and skilled, they may not have the power to solve all political issues because they are also constrained by company policies and decisions made by upper management. External factors like company-wide practices or limitations may prevent them from addressing all concerns.

How can asking about test coverage in a technical interview provide more clarity than asking about testing practices?

Asking about test coverage gives a clearer picture of the company’s testing practices because it is a specific, measurable aspect of their approach. It narrows down the question, allowing the interviewer to provide more concrete details rather than vague, general answers about testing in general.

What is the value of asking about external dependencies in an interview?

Asking about external dependencies can shed light on how much the company relies on outside vendors or systems. It gives you a sense of potential delays or obstacles the company might face, helping you understand the internal processes and work environment better.