More stressful than Christmas shopping. More necessary than a Netflix account. The interview — to many, the most evil necessity.

For those who aren’t so inclined, the interview process feels like running against the wind — with an open parachute strapped to your back. But, for livelihood’s sake, we must be successful in interviews. Although interviews are primarily employers asking you questions and you giving your best answers, the questions that you ask can sway the interview as much as the answers that you give.

Here are some questions to ask to help you show your interviewers that you have what it takes. Just remember that the interview is a two-way street — you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you. If you join their team, it should be in a mutually beneficial relationship.

1. Why is your company a good fit for me?

This question is spunky, so know your audience well before asking. It shows that you aren’t desperate and willing to settle for any job. You refuse to undersell yourself — you have something valuable to offer and you know how much you are worth. You want to grow and develop, and interviewers love to see that.

2. Why do you (the interviewer) like this company?

This puts them on the spot (now they can share in your pain). It also gives you the chance to learn from an insider’s perspective what is good about the company.

3. What don’t you like about this company (what is this company’s greatest flaw)?

This is another really gutsy question that should be used cautiously. I wouldn’t expect a very candid answer — most interviewers would want to remain politically correct and won’t be too honest. But, it gives you a chance to take control of the interview, and it can you show some insightful flaws in the company.

4. Do you see yourself staying with this company for a while?

This gives you an idea of the quality of employees and the company — does this company hire “keepers,” and does it keep the good hires around? Is this a transitional job, or a good career choice?

5. What are the top three traits that your best employees have in common?

This question should give you a glimpse into what the company would expect from you, and the kind of people who would thrive there. If they mention traits other than yours, don’t necessarily take this as an ultimate red flag — no company can operate with only one specific personality type; maybe they need what you have. But, this does give you a good indication of whether or not this would be a job that is up your alley.

6. What are the company’s highest goals for this year?

This question gives you an idea of the direction and ambition for the company. What are their goals? Are they something you can rally behind? Can you contribute to making those goals a reality? You don’t want to join a team half-heartedly. Half-hearted doesn’t stand out. Half-hearted doesn’t climb the business ladder because you aren’t fully engaged. Find a business whose goals you can get behind 110%.

7. How many employees have been brought in by other employees?

This question can give you an idea of the work environment. And the work environment is a significant factor in the quality of your work experience. Do people like it enough to bring their friends on board? If so, it’s probably a pleasant environment.

8. What would you expect from me in the first 90 days?

What better way to find out the company’s expectations, should they hire you, than to just ask directly! This shows initiative and interest in performing well. It also helps you be prepared, if you should get the job, to jump in with confidence.

Original Post found at http://www.lifehack.org/330328/8-insightful-questions-only-the-smartest-candidates-ask-job-interview?ref=e

7 Steps to Writing an Interview Winning CV….Your CV is your number one marketing tool when it comes to landing job interviews, so you need to ensure that it stands out from the crowd and catches the eye of the employers you are most interested in.  The key to creating a top notch CV is knowing exactly how to…..read more at theundercoverrecruiter.com/write-an-interview-winning-cv/

You’ve made it to the interview and you’ve prepared for all the questions they are supposedly going to ask you. You go in confident, chest up, and smiling for what feels like forever. They start asking you questions about your background and life stories to illustrate your unique character. You dabble in to your past work experiences, and personal events that define your leadership skills and qualities that make you a perfect fit for the position. The interview is almost over and then they ask you the last question that you forgot about – Do you have any questions for me?

This is your window of opportunity that you really do not want to miss. Participating in the interview is one factor, but what distinguishes candidates from the others is when they actively participate with the interviewee by asking them questions. Not only does this demonstrate your sincere interest in the position, it also illustrates that you’ve done your homework on the company and the position offered.

Regardless if you are more of an extrovert or introvert, there are a variety of questions you can ask in your next interview. Before jotting all of these down, make sure you are comfortable asking the questions you have chosen otherwise your successful interview could quickly turn to an awkward one. Ending your interview as confident as you were in the beginning is an essential element to a successful interview and they will remember your self-assurance when discussing who they want to hire.

9 questions to ask the interviewer:

1. How would you describe the general culture of the company and the workplace?
2. Why did you choose this company?
3. Will there be any form of training provided?
4. What are some of the biggest challenges/successes facing the department currently?
5. What process will be used to evaluate my employee performance?
6. Who will be my direct supervisor?
7. Are there many opportunities for professional development within the company?
8. What is the usual time frame for making the hiring decision?
9. May I contact you if any further questions arise?

Many candidates take the wrong path and ask inappropriate questions in their first interview. As tempting as benefits and salary information is to know up front, that should only be discussed after you have been offered the position. Plus, you will be in a better position to negotiate anyways. Not jumping ahead is important because you should be focused on having a great and memorable first interview to be called in for a second.

The interview process can be your best introduction to the company and by developing an intrapersonal connection with the interviewee by simply reciprocating in the dialogue; you can stand out among the rest of the candidates. The more comfortable you are, the more comfortable they are and will appreciate the gesture in reciprocating the dialogue. Remember, this is your opportunity to obtain further information regarding the position and the company that you could not get while researching online, so take advantage of this opportunity and make sure it is the right position for you.

Get more information and tips at http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/9-killer-questions-candidates-ought-ask-interviewer/

Chemical engineer job searches, like most engineering jobs are plagued with many irrelevant search results. Chemical engineering is a complex professional field. Your job search should be for skills, not just generic job titles. In chemical engineering, which is a particularly diverse field, the job title of itself is almost unworkable as a search term. You may find yourself searching everything but what you’re looking for.

Searching for Chemical Engineering Jobs Online

These very highly technical jobs can include things nobody but chemical engineers could understand, and there, fortunately, is the way out of the search problem. If you’re a polymer specialist, or have some other particular area of expertise, the job descriptions and essential criteria will do the searching for you. These terms don’t occur in other jobs except occasional academic jobs, and you may be interested in those, too.

Any unique search terms which relate directly to your preferred job options will do, as long as it’s job related. “Polymer”, for example, is a little too common, but “polymerization” isn’t. You could include characteristics of your work, or particular areas of interest.

Get more helpful information at http://www.cvtips.com/job-search/chemical-engineer-job-search-tips.html