12 Questions that YOU Should Ask during an Interview
As any big event you care about approaches, you’re going to feel a mix of emotions including nerves and excitement—and an interview is no different. One way to combat the nerves is to be prepared. It’s easy to anticipate the questions they are going to ask you, but what about the questions you should be asking them?
An interview will be your chance to learn if the job is a good fit for you—just as much as the company is trying to learn the opposite!
Based on my own personal experience being interviewed and interviewing others, I’ve compiled a list below of some questions that will not only show the employer that you care about the position, but will also put you in the best position possible to make the next step in your career!
Why is this position open?
This gives you a chance to put the job in context. Did someone leave the position? Is the position new? That might be a great thing—maybe the company is growing and can now make room for new minds!
Can you describe a typical day or week for the role?
This is great for visualizing how your professional life will be when you land the job. Depending on the answer to this question, how will the new job fit into your schedule? It’s a good thing to keep in mind!
What are the expectations in the first month?
Obviously, you’ll need some time to come up to speed in the new position. Asking about the expectations helps you realistically envision what you’ll need to do to become acclimated, and it also helps your employer define what to expect and what not to expect.
How will you measure the success of the person in this position?
If you know what your employer looks for to measure success, you can actively strive to perform your best in those areas. This doesn’t mean you can slack off in other areas or be unpleasant at work, but you weren’t going to do that anyway!
What qualities have you seen help someone excel in this role?
Maybe you already have these qualities. If so—great! If not, perhaps there are steps you can take to improve those qualities and be the best asset you can be to your employer.
Are there opportunities for growth within the company?
A job is nice, but it’s even better when you can fit it into a career. Careers help give stability to your life down the road, so why not ask about them in the interview? If you know that there are opportunities for growth, then you’ll know two things:
- Your company is invested in making you a better person overall
- You’ll be incentivized to go the extra mile and work hard—it might just pay off!
What do you consider the most challenging aspect of this job?
When you land the position, you want to hit the ground running. That includes knowing about the challenges and obstacles you might face. If you learn about them as early as during the interview, then you’ll have some time to develop strategies around how to solve those challenges and work around the obstacles!
What are the top challenges facing the company currently?
Your job is but one position in the company—and it’s an important one! But you’ll be able to do your job better if you understand how it fits into the company’s structure overall, and how it plays into helping the company with the challenges it faces. Knowing what challenges your company is facing will help you contextualize how your job is helping meet those challenges!
How would you describe the company culture?
You want to love where you work, right? After all, you’ll be spending a lot of time there! Why not learn about the culture of the workplace when you interview? Perhaps it’ll be just what you need to excel!
What do you like most about working for this company?
This question is a great one because it adds a personal element to a professional situation. What does your interviewer enjoy? You’ll get to see how they answer and the passion they have for working at the company.
Is there anything about my resume that makes you question if I am a good fit for this role?
It’s always important to have open and honest conversations during an interview, and while this question might have an uncomfortable answer, it shows your employer that you’re ready and willing to improve to meet the company’s needs.
What are the next steps in the interview process?
This question shows the interviewer that you are ambitious and driven to get this job. Many job applicants will underwhelm the interview—but not you. You’ll seem ready and willing for any challenge, and you can accomplish this by asking about the next steps!
If you slip these questions into your interviews, your employer will take note. You will be an applicant that isn’t just invested in their role, but also the company in general. That’s an attractive quality in a candidate.
Want to know some things you can research about your interviewer before meeting with them? Click here to find out!
Best of luck to you as you interview!