An interview is a two-way street. Not only are you asked questions by the team interviewing you, you also get the chance to ask questions of your potential employer.
Be prepared
You should always be prepared with a list of questions to ask. You don’t want to lose your one opportunity to hear answers directly from the source. Having no questions prepared shows that you lack an interest in the company or the industry, and/or that you are ill-prepared and not taking the job interview seriously.
And, if the employer does NOT provide you with an opportunity to ask any questions of them, then I’d run as fast as I could in the opposite direction!
You will be judged by your questions
Make no mistake: employers do make judgements based on the questions you ask of them. They will be checking to see whether or not you’ve done your research about the company and the industry. You want to make sure that your questions are intelligent and well thought out. Show them that you’re smart, thoughtful, and inquisitive about the important things. Never, ever ask about salary or benefits unless they bring it up first.
The 10 best questions to ask
While there is no set number of questions, you do want to come up with several good ones that demonstrate that you’ve done your homework and that you know the nature of the organization/business and the terminology. Do not ask questions that can easily be answered on the company’s web site or via a quick internet search.
Here are ten good questions to ask during your interview:
- What are things your organization has done recently to show how it values its employees?
- What are the organization’s/company’s strengths and weaknesses compared to its competition?
- How does upper management view the role and importance of this department and this position?
- What do you most enjoy about your work with this organization / company / agency?
- How will my leadership responsibilities and performance be measured? By whom?
- Could you describe your company’s management style and the type of employee who fits well with it?
- Can you describe an ideal employee?
- By joining this company, will I make best use of my skills and expertise and will you help me to grow them further?
- Where are the major concerns that need to be immediately addressed in this job?
- What is it about me that makes you think I would be a good fit for this position?
What other questions have you come up with that have helped you win the interview process? Please share in the comments section!