by Scot Herrick

There's the job description, and then there's the job. They might not match, you know. And here you are thinking you've landed your dream job and then the reality hits you that the job is just like your old one - except with older tools and technologies. You can help protect yourself from the "job description is not the job" problem by asking the hiring manager questions that relate to the department. Let's take a look.

What is the first project I'd be assigned on taking this position?

Always good to find out what you will be diving into once you start a new job. It could be something easy. Or challenging. Or really what you are looking to do. The key is not the answer to your interview question, but what conversation the question produces about how the hiring manager will utilize your talents.

What is the biggest business problem facing you that I could help solve?

This question gets to where the pain points are for the hiring manager. Is it the technology? Poor workmanship? Poor quality? Or something to do with interpersonal communication between your coworkers? If you can help solve the pain points - not something stated on the job description, of course - you can be successful faster.

What is the most important accomplishment your group did so far this year?

The manager has goals. One would think some would be accomplished in the past X number of months! What are they and why are they important accomplishments? And listen for the business accomplishment, not the accomplishment for the group. You want to hear the business benefit of the work, not the work. "We completed this humongous project to replace our CRM software." That's great, I know that is a lot of work to do - but so what? What did the business get out of replacing that software? That's the key to the value your group has to the business at large.

What is the biggest challenge facing your department for the balance of the year?

This is similar to the "biggest problem right now" but done in a way that is oriented toward business goals. When you have to get X done by the end of the year, it allows you to discuss the type of work, why it's important, and what the urgency is to get it done (and hire you to help get it done).

If you could only get one more thing done this year, what would it be?

In theory, this could be the same as the last question, but it is very possible the biggest challenge isn't the biggest accomplishment. It could very well be that the current work on a business goal is proceeding as planned, is huge in terms of the business benefit and, if it were completed, would be five-star work. You want to know about what the most important thing is to accomplish for the hiring manager - so you can help.

Get to the work, not the job description

Each of these questions is designed to help you understand the work to be done, not the job description. It gets you off of your job skills and instead helps you understand what is needed - and gives you the opening to explain how your work solves the very issues facing the hiring manager. The job description is a great place to start to develop your interview questions. But make sure you get to the hiring manager's priorities and concerns. That's the sweet spot of what the hiring manager needs to do and how you can help.