Congratulations! You have been selected to attend an interview. What do you do now? I advise all my clients to go on YouTube and look up ‘Live Interview Skills’ or ‘Video Interview Skills’ to fully prepare for the interview (see my previous Blog on Acing Video Interviews). Your job interview has gone well and is now coming to a close, and then the interviewer asks you whether you have any questions about the role. This is an ideal opportunity to stand out from other candidates – when it’s your turn for questions, what you ask can go a long way to helping you learn about the role and the people you will be working with.
You may have heard about the Power of the Question – questioning is a uniquely powerful tool to gain better insights and enable you to assess your understanding as well as that of others. Asking good questions is one of the most overlooked skills in business today. Asking questions puts you in control – insightful, thoughtful questions can help you gain a deeper understanding of the role you’re applying for and ensure it’s a good fit for you, as well as demonstrating your intelligence, confidence and interest. Many industry experts advise that having questions prepared can be a strategic move that sets you apart from other candidates. Here are some examples of the best questions to ask in an interview.
Why has this role has become available?
What would a typical day in this role look like?
What do you think are the three key qualities someone needs to excel in this role?
Thinking about employees who have filled this position previously, what set apart those who were good from those where were great?
Would I be working with a small or large team?
Can you tell me more about the people I’ll be working with?
Will I have a chance to meet my potential manager or colleagues during this process?
How would you describe the dynamics of the team that I would be working with?
If successful in the role, do you have someone in my team who would act as a mentor or buddy to help me settle into the position?
How would you describe the workplace culture?
What do you enjoy most about working here?
What would your staff say is the most challenging thing about working here?
What makes people want to continue working at this company?
What type of professional development opportunities are there?
If I was offered the role, is there any training I would need to undertake immediately?
What would the career path be for someone in this role?
Can you tell me about your employee performance review processes?
What is the timeline for making a decision and when I can expect to hear from you?
Is there anything else you need from me to help you make your decision?
Asking intelligent, well thought out questions is a great way to close your interview off with confidence. I also recommend reiterating that you are very interested in the position, believe you would be a very good fit and will be waiting to hear from them.