What questions should you ask during an interview?
What questions should you ask to impress during a job search?
Interviews are an important step in the hiring process. It’s a chance for employers to assess the skills of the candidates and for candidates to find out more about the role they’re applying for, the culture, and the company. As a potential employee, asking the right questions during an interview not only helps you determine whether the position is a good fit for you, but it also differentiates you from the other applicants. If you’re not sure what to ask, here are five brilliant questions to ask in an interview to impress your future employer.
Why It’s Important to Ask Your Potential Employer Questions
Your interview is coming to a close and you’re confident that it’s gone well. In fact, you’re almost certain that you’ve got the job. However, a few weeks later you get an email or call from the company informing you that you were not selected for the position. What happened? The truth is, you can never really be sure why you weren’t a good fit; however, for most organizations, the final interview question is typically: “Do you have any questions for me?” A novice interviewer will answer, “no” because they don’t know how important it is to ask their potential employer questions. Here are some reasons why:
· Employers want to hire employees who will commit to the company long term. If you don’t ask questions it signals that this might be a fill in job for you because you’re not being careful and selective about the jobs you’re applying for.
· You risk being viewed as unprepared, unenthusiastic or disorganized when you’re not inquisitive about the role you’ve applied for.
· Asking questions are also for you, if you don’t know enough about the role, you could end up in the wrong job.
Before you go to your next job interview, make sure you bring at least five questions so that you’re ready when they ask.
You can adapt these questions to suit the position you are applying for. However, this is a good place to start:
1. Has the company faced any major challenges recently and how did the team overcome it?
There are several questions that will help you determine whether you want to work for a particular company or not, and this is one of them. Every company faces challenges, and how you manage the crisis determines the strength and the long-term success of the company. You want to work for an organization that thinks on their feet and are capable of finding effective solutions to the problems they encounter.
2. What is the vision for the organization and how does this role help to fulfill this vision?
Ask this question to find out whether the company’s vision is in line with your values because whatever role you take on will help fulfill that vision, and if it’s something you’re not comfortable with, it’s not the job for you.
3. How does the company invest in the career advancement of its employees?
If you’re looking to advance your career, a job that focuses on growth of the individual will help you do that. Some companies are better at helping their employees move up the career ladder than others.
4. What are the key performance indicators in this role and how is success measured?
This question will help you decide whether the role aligns with your career aspirations. If you’re not looking to work for a company where there’s a lot of pressure to meet targets, how the hiring manager answers this question will help you make your decision.
5. How does the company promote a culture of innovation and creativity?
Companies are not always interested in their employees’ ideas. They’re very linear, heading in one direction that is dictated by a few executives and they’re not looking to change it. Whereas other companies seek out input from their employees. If you want to work in an environment where unleashing your creativity will be appreciated, this is definitely a question you should ask.
Remember, by asking insightful and thoughtful questions, you demonstrate that you’re genuinely interested in working for the organization and it sets you apart from other applicants. Additionally, when asking these questions, active listening is essential, it’s also important to ask clarifying questions to clear-up anything you’re unsure about.
