Job Openings

Have you ever thought about why is there a job opening in the first place?  There are four basic reasons and each of them tell you about the situation at the company at that time.  Ideally, you identify the reason early in the process to help fine tune your interview answers to address the company's needs.

1. There is too much work.  The team is expanding!  Very exciting that the company is growing well.  It also means that the existing team may be overworked and stressed.  You can be the solution to this problem.

2. The company is expanding to a new business line.  Try to understand if it is a regional expansion (more of the same in a new market) or a new product line.  There could be more risk (and excitement) in the the latter.  Ask why they are expanding.

3. Someone quit.  The person decided to leave.  Ask why the person left.  You want to understand if this is a toxic culture, the company does not pay market salaries, etc.  Ideal responses from the company are the person moved out of state or decided to change industries.  Anything that makes the resignation unique to that person as opposed to a negative about the company, team or role.

4. Someone was fired.  Ask what a person needs to do to be successful in the role.  You want to avoid the same mistakes and make sure the role is a good fit for you.

Knowledge is power.  By understanding the company's and team's situation, you will be in a better position to adjust your interview answers to fit the company needs and determine if it is the right fit for you.

How To Learn More

• Dig into my other writings on the job search process on The Search page.

  • Better understand your own skills and where you will be successful at Roles.

  • Check out my writings on various industries and departments at the Industries page.