Have you ever noticed how employers ask you for your questions during your interview? Well, don’t be weirded out—it’s normal. A job interview is a two-way street where both parties ask questions to avoid missing any holes. And knowing the right questions to ask in an interview can help you ace your interview.
When you come prepared with smart questions, you display more chances of landing your dream job. So, ensure you are ready to fire them on the big day.
Why you should prepare interview questions
Interviewers provide candidates the opportunity to ask any questions, usually before the interview ends. And you should maximize this shot to find out how compatible you are with the company.
Also, you should take this time to engage with the interviewers actively. When the interview ends without any inquiries on your end, it displays disinterest to employers. In fact, according to a CareerBuilder survey in 2015, almost half of candidates are eliminated due to an unsatisfactory in-person interview. So take this chance to show off why you are the ideal candidate to hire.
Coming up with the right questions to ask in an interview will hit the sweet spot of employers. Here are other reasons why you should compile a list of items to ask them:
- Questions purge out the vital information that was not discussed previously.
- Asking displays your utmost interest in the role.
- It shows how much you have researched, prepared, and listened during the interview.
- You get to find out how you fit the company.
- You prove to employers how invested you are in knowing more about the role and company.
- Not having any questions demonstrates laziness, lack of motivation, and unpreparedness.
The best questions in your coveted interview
Here are the right questions to ask your interviewer:
1. “Have I answered all your inquiries?”
It’s only logical to clarify to your interviewers if there are aspects they want you to elaborate on before jumping into your questions.
You can say, “Yes, I do have a couple of questions to ask you. But before we jump into those, I’m wondering if I have answered all your questions sufficiently. Would you like me to elaborate on a few details?”
Your interviewer will appreciate the offer of clarification. On top of that, you earn the chance of redo when they ask you for a little verification.
2. “What are the day-to-day responsibilities of the role?”
Unless the job responsibilities were not disclosed earlier, you must ask about the day-to-day expectations of you. This will give you an overview of the required skills you will utilize each day. Asking this will show you how much your skill set matches the job requirements.
3. “What are the essential qualities that will help one excel in the role?”
This question seamlessly leads you to valuable information that is not discussed in the job description. Knowing the qualities they are looking for will help you set your own expectations for the role. When you know what they are seeking for, it’s easier to tell if you are a good fit for the company or not.
4. “What are the expectations for the role in the first month, sixth month, and in the first year?”
Finding out the role’s expectations is one of your goals for asking. This question provides an insight into the learning curve and the pace of the organization you are going to be in. If there are too many expectations at your early days, you can gauge how they are going to prepare you for it—will there be pieces of training or none?
5. “What is the most challenging part of the job?”
It’s essential to know the significant challenges you’re going to face in this job. It is just as crucial as knowing the easy ones. Even before you accept the role, you have to familiarize yourself with the scale of problems you will deal with.
6. “How long did the last hired person for the role hold the position? How did the role turnover generally look like?”
Don’t feel too nosy to ask such a question—it’s logical. You want a glimpse of why the last person left the role. If you see a pattern of short stays, it could mean the company isn’t an ideal environment to nurture your skills. Whether it be a demanding boss, lack of training, unrealistic expectations, or unreasonable benefits—all these are red flags you might want to reconsider.
7. “How will you describe the company culture?”
Before you sign up for a job, it matters to know how the environment aligns with your personality and beliefs. Without having the same direction and approach, you’ll end up demotivated in the end.
So if you are more of a laidback team player, a relaxed environment is perfect for you. Whereas if you are a highly competitive team performer, you will enjoy a fast-paced environment.
8. “What do you love the most about working here?”
Don’t be afraid to ask this question—try your most innocent approach to ask this one. You can get a lot from how people respond to this question. If they can quickly provide you a list of the good things they like about the company, well, that means well for you. On the other hand, if they have a hard time enumerating, that can only mean one thing—you are not up to good hands.
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9. “How do you see your biggest competitors? Why are you better?”
It counts to know who the most prominent competitors are, as this shows you are well-researched. However, they are still the ones who can give you the real list of competitors that pose threats to the business. Asking this inquiry doesn’t doubt the company’s credibility, but it shows how ready you are to take on the role and make a more significant impact on the team.
10. “Who are the people I’m going to work with, and who am I directly reporting to?
It’s essential to know the people you are going to collaborate with. This way, you can get a feel of how cross-functional the position is. You can ask names, titles, their responsibilities, and how they relate to your job.
11. “Is there an opportunity to grow professionally and move up the ladder?”
One of the questions you should always ask in a job interview is the room for career development. As a professional, it is one of your goals to advance in your career. If the role seems too stagnant for your liking, you can decide not to pursue it at all. But if its growth opportunities look promising, this role will be worth the effort.
12. “Is there anything we’ve discussed that makes you question whether I am perfect for the role?”
When you ask this question, you display confidence in ensuring you are the right candidate to hire. It emphasizes your desire to know what will prove you’re the best candidate. It also allows you to respond to any concerns they might have to your application with them.
13. “What are the succeeding steps after the interview?”
Before you wrap up the interview, ask the interviewer about the next steps of the interview process. This will show how eager you are to move forward. You will also get a timeline of the hiring process, which you can use to know when you need to follow up for results. This way, you can follow up appropriately without being too excited.
And those are the ideal questions to ask your interviewers to prove your utmost interest in the role. Pick a handful of inquiries that applies to the situation. Do not ask each item—it’s your interview, not theirs. Ask away the questions that genuinely intrigues you, but avoid yes/no questions.
Just remember that before you step in for an interview, ensure you are fully prepared. Make a list of the questions to ask and be ready to negotiate. Doing so will surely land you your dream job. If you want more helpful techniques on acing your interview, you can always count on this Job Interview Mastery Class. Not only will this provide you tips to nail your answers, but also formulate the best questions in the interview.
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