How to Get the Job you Really Want

How to use reverse interviewing to assess the job.

So tell me what you want (what you really really want). Do you know these words of wisdom? Knowing what you want and how to get it is important to building a life that fits your values and goals. Having no direction can mean that others decide for you. One of the biggest decisions you can make is what job to pursue and accept. So taking time to learn tips about assessing the job and company during the interview process can save you lots of grief later.

72% of millennial applicants were surprised by, or regretted accepting, a role.

- HBR, 5 ways to figure out if a job is right for you

I recently wrote about how to make a great resume or CV to get the job you want. But there is more to it than that. Jobs are everywhere, and lots of employers are looking for top talent, but is the job they want you to accept right for you? Reverse Interviewing techniques can help. Reverse interviewing is the concept that the job applicant can ask questions during interviews, not just answer them.

I get questions about this from mentees regularly. So let's take some time to talk about how to ask for and manage a reverse interview conversation.

3 things to find out before you accept the job:

1. Compensation and Career Path

2. Expectations and Measurements

3. Team and Approach

As a PMI and IPMA member, I focus on helping new Project Managers and team members at the start of their careers. And now is a great time to look for a new job. Roles in project management are in every industry and skill set. The project economy is real and growing.  

The demand for project managers is high. The Project

Management Institute (PMI®) expects 22 million new project

management job openings through 2027.

- PMI

Interviewing for a job can be scary. Some may feel a good interview is one where they can answer all of the interviewers' questions. But applicants looking for a career and who want to work for a company that shares their values and goals might go further. Preparing to ask the interviewer follow-up questions and explore details about the company, team, and job will help them know if the role is the right one to accept.

Finding the right job is not just about how you, the applicant, do during the interview but also about how the company and its representatives do during the process. The right employeer is looking for talent and will be willing to answer some key questions to ensure you are the right fit and will be happy in the job. So what does a 'reverse interview' look like, and what do you need to do to be prepared before meeting your next prospective employeer?

Prepare for the job interview

You may go to an interview ready to discuss yourself, your skills, experience, and what you have to offer the company. But why prepare for (and request) time to discuss the company, career path, leadership, and other questions you have? Because when the offer comes from the company, they have made a decision- they want you to join them. But the question remains: Is this a job and company that you really really want?

How to ask the interviewer questions? 

During the interview, when asked a question about a topic, answer it, and if you have a related question, ask it in follow-up. This will be natural and show curiosity and connectedness.  

If you have questions that are not addressed during the conversation, ask for a few minutes to cover some questions you have:

Tips for a Reverse Interview

1. Be respectful - don't try to catch someone out.

2. Be prepared - don't ask questions Google can answer.

3. Know who to ask - Ask the right questions to the right people. HR can answer many process questions. The hiring manager is best to discuss role and career path matters.

4. If someone shares the name of the right person to ask - make a note for later and follow up with that person.

5. If you don't understand the answer - reframe the question or answer to check for misunderstandings or missing information.

Don't forget that being prepared shows the interviewer you are serious and professional. Two attributes that could make you the top candidate for the job. 

Here are 3 areas to focus on when interviewing - 

Understand the Job Compensation and Career Path

When discussing a job during the second or third interview, it is normal to get specific about what the job offer includes: the base salary, bonuses, and perks (i.e., a car or stock options).

However, you can also determine your role level by asking a few extra questions. Most large companies have "job families" linked to the job role, authority, and responsibility levels but also the title, salary range, and bonus options. Make sure you understand the entire compensation package associated with the role.

When preparing for interviews for HR or the hiring manager, ask:

• The job family and level for the current and next level (examples a job family could be: PMO, Associate Project Manager, Project Manager, Senior Project Manager, Director of Project Management)

• Average time in current position. How long do people stay in the level position for this role over the past 3 years? Of course, you need to prove yourself in the role you are interviewing for, but you do want to check if this is a company that plans for upward mobility.

Know the job Expectations and how your performance will be Measured

You may be provided a role description with details about your day-to-day activities. However, wording can be vague or misleading. So when speaking with the hiring manager, ask: 

• What a day in the life of the role looks like. Confirm the level of authority and responsibility you will have. Confirm who you will report to and how much they oversight they have on your work (do you expect to be macro or micro-managed)?

• Define Leadership. If you have a leader role, ask the manager to define leadership in the organization and what attributes they are looking for specifically for this job.

• Clarify unclear terms. If you don't understand something about the job, ask. Better to ask now than be surprised later.

• Confirm how performance is measured. How, who, and when will you receive formal and informal feedback? Do you have metrics or KPIs to hit? Do you have control over setting these?

Confirm the Team is set up for Success

As a project team member (or the leader), you will want to know what you are getting into. This is a way to check facts, especially for ongoing projects. So, during the interview, discuss ongoing projects: look for signs of a well-run project or one in trouble. Ask to speak with the Project Leadership and cover:

• The status of the Project and Team. Is the team already in place? What is the project status, including approved documentation (i.e., Business Case, Project Charter, Plan)?

• The Stakeholder situation. Are they onboard and aligned? Do they meet regularly? Do they have a stake in the success of the project? Do they have KPIs for the project? If so, can they be shared?

• Ask to meet the team. If you can, speak with the team and look for signs that the team is stressed, understaffed, or underskilled. Do they know the plan, and do they think it is reasonable? If you are short-listed applicants who cannot meet the team, it may be a warning sign.

• Your authority to take corrective actions. If you are responsible for the team and project outcome, discuss your ability to assess the project's status before accepting the role and agree on your ability to modify the planning or team following a review period.

If you have a leadership role and the project is significant, you may also want to discuss and confirm your:

• authority and responsibility (they should be correlated)

• role in defining the team, staffing (internal and external), and work allocation

• decisions on approach (agile, waterfall, etc.)

• authority during the contracting process (since this will define the way the project is run for many aspects of the work)

• ability to align with other projects and programs to ensure precursor or parallel work is managed and risk mitigated.

• influence on teams management, including rewards (money and promotions)

Learn to read the signs

Final advice? When someone shows you who they are, believe them. When a company or hiring manager interacts with you during an interview process, they will give you insights into the underlying organization and culture. Watch for red flags if the interactions -

• seems disorganized

• show lack of follow up

• are not transparent

• avoids answering important questions

• are defensive, judgmental or lacking respect

• minimize the value of diversity and inclusion

• withhold information or access to key people

• staff lack spark, innovative ideas and a sense of curiosity

Take time to assess what you are seeing and experiencing. This will likely tell you more about the company than a Google search will. 

If you want to ensure your Resume (CV) is ready to go out to start the your job search, see this article on building the right Resume, including how to get LinkedIn skill comparisons and a free test to check your resume quality.