Interviews are 2 way - Interview your interviewer
TL;DR: When looking for a new company, interview the interviewer. It is just as important that they are the right fit for you, as you are for them.
'I really want this job!'
It is a phrase uttered all too often by everyone from graduates to experienced professionals. Interviewing for a new job can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, feelings amplified by the competition involved in the recruitment process and fostered by a gilded view of the potential new employer. It is very easy to get wrapped up in the process and forget that the company needs to fit you, as much as you fit them.
When you are looking for a new job, of primary concern should be what is it that is going to make you satisfied, dare I say, happy at work. Although the branding and recommendations for a company may be glowing, it is important to understand whether or not these channels convey values that are truly important to you.
Organisations are experts at positioning themselves in the sector, the bigger the organisation, the better they will be. For the most part, talent attraction takes the form of appealing to the masses in order to give the organisation the largest pool of potential employees. While many brilliant and happy people may work at the organisation, this does not mean that everyone will be happy and successful there and if you aren't happy, you won't be successful.
Remember the old 'Do you have any questions for us?' line at the end of every interview?
Well, this is a clue that you should be interviewing your interviewer as well. Questions that you may want to seek answer to include; do they work on projects that you want to work on?; Do you like the person that you will be reporting in to?; What does interviewer enjoy about working there?; What makes them different from their competition?
Find out as much as you think is necessary about the organisation, their team, culture and people in the interview. There is a fine line between appeasing your interviewer and providing a false representation.
Longer term, it may be quite damaging if a less than true statement made during your interview is relied upon for your placement. Which could lead to a difficult conversation when you need to either begrudgingly accept a role that you don't want or work in a team that you don't like. It is crucial for you to critically assess the suitability of the employer for you as much as it is for employer to assess you.
