Questions to ask at Interview
Published on June 30, 2018
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Something I think we have all been guilty of in the past is forgetting that interviewing candidates for a job vacancy is a two-way street; not only are the individuals in the company assessing the candidate, but also the candidate is assessing whether the company, culture, position, manager, and so on, is going to be the right fit for them. This is just one of the reasons that it is so important for you as a candidate to ask insightful questions in the process.
Not only do questions help the candidate assess whether the fit is right, but it also shows the hiring manager that you are very thoughtful, can present in a professional manner, are committed and have done thorough research. All of which are very positive traits to have and will have you on the way to getting that offer.
My advice is to think of about 10 questions that you would like answered when you go for an interview, some of these questions might be answered through the conversation, so make sure that you are listening throughout as it isn’t a good look if you ask a question which has already been discussed earlier in the interview. My second pice of advice is to try and create an open conversation in the interview and ask these questions naturally throughout the meeting at appropriate times; sometimes this isn’t possible, in that case there is nothing wrong with bringing a list with you to go through at the end, in fact this shows you have done your research and are highly engaged and interested in the position!
Some of the best questions to ask come from research you have done, for example:
- I know that your business was acquired by company X last year, what changes have happened since then, and what do you expect to happen over the next few years?
- From my research, I found out that your competitor has a new product they will be launching next year, how do you see this affecting your business and what is your strategy to overcome this?
Other questions can relate to any role and business, but are also important to ascertain through the process:
- What do you see as the immediate challenges in this role? What challenges did my predecessor face in this role?
This will open up a conversation to help you assess if you have the necessary skills and experience to be successful in the role and identify anything you should be wary of. It also opens up an opportunity for you to give examples of where you have been successful in the past with similar challenges
- What is the history of this position?
Is this a newly created role? If it is, why was it created and what is the stability of the position? If someone was in the role prior to you, this opens up a conversation of what was missing in the last person, and if they were successful, further helping you understand any hurdles you might face coming into the role.
- How would you measure and track my success? And what are your expectations for the first 6 months?
This will help you understand what the first 6 months looks like, are the expectations realistic, and also help you understand what kind of a manager this person is.
- What opportunities will there be for me to learn and grow?
This is important for you to understand if there is a long-term career with the company, however this question needs to be asked in the correct way as to not “scare” the hiring manager into thinking that you will want to jump onto the next thing straight away. Generally speaking, hiring managers want to hear that you want to master the role and stay there for at least 3 years, before looking at the next opportunity within the business.
- How would you describe the company culture?
Obviously this is very important to understand. I would always suggest speaking with people who work for the business outside of the interview setting too to verify what has been relayed to you in the interview process.
- What training will I receive initially in the role? Do you have an ongoing training program? What do you think is the steepest learning curve of the role? And how can I go about getting up to speed quickly?
Generally speaking most companies will either have a dedicated training resource for you, or they will have a set out program. If they don’t, it is important to let them know that you are happy to do your own research to get up to speed.
- What is your management style? How do you like to work with your team?
This will give you further insight into what it is like to work with this person, and if your working style will fit in with their management style.
There are also questions which you can ask which are more personal however always be careful of crossing the line to becoming too familiar in the interview.
- What do you find and the best things about working at Company X?
- How did you progress to your position?
- What are your favourite (and least favourite) things about your role?
- Do you feel you have the necessary resources to undertake your role successfully?
And always try to close them at the end of the meeting, this will allow you to cover off any concerns they have right there and then.
- Given what we’ve discussed during this interview, do you have any concerns about my fit for this position?
This is a reverse question because it tries to uncover any issues that might hold the interviewer back from hiring you and gives you the opportunity to address those concerns before you leave the interview.
Questions NOT to ask at interview:
- Simple questions like “what does your company do?” or, “who are your competitors?”. Anything you ask which is readily available information will portray a picture that you haven’t done your research, and you aren’t committed to wanting the role.
- Anything too personal. Be very careful of crossing the line and seeming intrusive or too familiar, you don’t want to make the interviewerfeel uncomfortable.
- Questions about salary, pay rises or promotions. This can come across as being money-driven which in 99% of cases in not a positive trait for employers. If you are working with a Recruitment Consultant, leave this to them; they will be working to negotiate the best possible outcome for you.
Hopefully these tips will help you to land your next role by further verifying if the role is right for you, whilst coming across as insightful and professional.
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