Asking The Right Questions

Here's a conversation that actually happened:
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INTERVIEWER: So, tell me... Why are you applying to our company?

ADAM: Simply, my background and varied and eclectic. I have experience performing and teaching public speaking, and I love to write. The world of marketing struck me as the perfect marriage between the two, and - as an online marketing firm - you guys are at the forefront of that field. There's a lot that this company could teach  me.

INTERVIEWER: Ah! Indeed, we are one in the same on that opinion. You see, marketing has always fascinated me. It's the perpetually un-cracked nut of human nature. We'll make dents and holes here and there, but we'll ultimately never figure out a way to truly unlock it. It's the puzzle that we can't solve, and I love that!

ADAM: Absolutely! I think it's about writing in a way the conveys vision. It's about you communicating your vision about what you can do for the world, and helping the client articulate their own vision before helping them forward their goals.

INTERVIEWER: Yes! Can you do that in front of a crowd? How many people have you presented to?

ADAM: Well, I mean I could. My record so far is about, like, thirty people.

INTERVIEWER: Can you do fifty people? Or sixty people?

ADAM: I guess... Yeah, I guess I could! Why not?

INTERVIEWER: I have some good feelings about you! You're a communicator. We've been searching for someone like you for a very long time. You're exactly what we need!

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Seems like an ideal interview, right? I answered all of the questions "correctly," I have the interviewer going nuts over me, and I'm told that I'm exactly what they need. And, on top of all that, it's exactly the job that I'm looking for! Win-win, right?

Wrong.

The problem here is the term "Marketing." Both of us are using the same word, and yet with totally different visions as to what someone in the field actually does. When I heard that I was going to be working in "Marketing," I thought that I would be writing blogs, developing posts for social media, and/or making presentations to crowds of distinguished business people. This was an online marketing firm, after all! That's what they do, right?

In reality, the Interviewer had already assembled his team of writers, designers, and social media gurus. When he used the word "Marketing," he was actually thinking about the one position he hadn't filled yet - that of the company marketer. Basically, sales and outreach. He needed someone to comb through piles and piles of business cards, addresses, and phone numbers - making calls to anyone who would pick up the phone to convince them that they needed a new website.  By "Marketing," he meant commissioned telemarketing.

Oh, the commission was another thing. There was no salary associated with this gig - only a commission based on how many clients you could convince to come to the office. It was just another sales commission where you eat what you kill - one of thousands of such "jobs" that know that desperate applicants will come knocking even if they're not offering a steady paycheck. It was another reminder of just how unacceptably rare salaries are in this day and age.

Of course, I was stupid. I took the job thinking that it would be exactly what I wanted. Of course, I quickly discovered that I hated every moment of it from the very first day. Desperate for work, I stuck with it for about a week. It wasn't until that Friday that I found out that I won't get any compensation because I didn't sell anything. It was just a terrible fit all around, but I got sucked right into it because I was so enamored with the success of the interview that I didn't ask the right questions.

I should have asked:

1) Can you walk me through the daily task of this position? /AND/OR/ What will I be doing why I'm here?
 - Don't take "whatever needs to be done" for an answer. If they keep dodging this question, then that should raise a red flag. Your future employer should be upfront and honest with you about what you'll be expected to do in a routine work week.

2) Since you have accepted me, can we discuss payment? /AND/OR/ How does compensation work? /AND/OR/ Will it be salaried or commissioned based? /AND/OR/ When should I send in my invoice?
- This seems awkward, but it's absolutely necessary that you ask these questions when you know for a fact that you have been offered the job. You're not negotiating yet (that's a topic for another post), you're just searching for information.You deserve to know what kind of compensation your employer had in mind before you say yes - not after.

3) Could you describe the ideal applicant that for this position? /AND/OR/ I just want to make sure that we're on the same page. Could you clarify this for me...?
 - These questions might sound a little like fishing for correct answers, but they're actually a very useful if you're sensing that you and your Interviewer are talking past each other. Remember, you're not the only one being evaluated here. Just as they're deciding if you're a good fit for them, you should be asking questions and evaluating if they're a good fit for you as well.

Those of you who are immersed in this process might find this to be hilariously obvious; and to that, I would concur. These are absolutely brain-dead obvious things that you should do when evaluating any and every opportunity. However, it's easy to forget that when you're caught up in the success of a good interview - especially when the last several had been far less so.

Don't forget why you're there. You're looking for something that benefits you first and foremost. Don't settle for ignorance. Make sure you know what you're getting into.