That title is clickbait. There are no magic questions. However, these are three good questions to ask at an interview. They’ll impress your interviewers and give you good information about the job and the organization.
- Why is the job vacant? (Tells them that you are thinking about organization dynamics. Tells you about how the organization functions – replacing someone who was fired is very different from replacing someone who was promoted.)
- What would a really good first year in the job look like? What would a successful person achieve in their first twelve months? (Tells them you’re planning for success. Tells you if their expectations are way too high, or way too vague.)
- What colleagues does this position work most closely with? (Tells them you’re thinking concretely about the job. Tells you a lot about what work days will be like.)
Bonus questions for international development jobs:
- I see from your website that your major donors are (whoever). Is that accurate? How would you say your donors affect organizational culture and programming?
- Why are you hiring an expatriate for this job and not a host country national?
If you went for the clicky clicky title, you might be a job-seeker. I can help! I can review your resume, run you through a practice interview, or help you figure out what jobs are right for you. Learn more over here.
