9 Great Interview Questions to Ask the Interviewer
And don’t think you can simply respond to that well known prompt, “So, do you have any questions you would like to ask us?” with superficial questions that you make up on the spot, as the interviewer/hiring manager will easily recognize that. Your questions must be well prepared, well structured and probing enough to actively demonstrate that you are inquisitive and curious about the role – which clearly underlines that you are psychologically invested in the role. It is your opportunity to act as the interviewer, but think Andrew Marr rather than Jeremy Paxman when it comes to questioning style.
Be careful not to ask foolish questions, e.g. questions where you could have easily found the answer on the company website as this will make you look lazy. So, to conduct a full interview, it is my recommendation that you ask the interviewer/hiring manager a pertinent set of questions – ensuring that the answer to these questions cannot be found or found definitively on the website, (e.g. its OK to ask for clarification on something you have seen which was uncleat).
To help you with this task, I prepared 10 pertinent interview questions that you could ask at interview. Of course you don’t have to ask them all! The questions are meant to be asked of a hiring manager, that is someone who has detailed knowledge of the role.
1.) What exactly are my day to day responsibilities?
Of course you may have received a job description, but job descriptions can be out of date, incomplete or not truly representative of the role. It is perfectly fine to seek clarification in this area as it is the fundamental reason that you are joining the business. Any lack of clarity from the hiring manager is a potential worrying sign. If this happens you may need to ask follow up questions.
2.) Can you describe a typical week in the role?
Job descriptions are of course informative, but it may not give you a realistic impression of the role on a week to week basis. Asking this question will help you to make a more genuine assessment of the role – helping you to understand how you feel about the position.
3.) What are the main objectives for the job holder over the next year?
This is a great way to understand what the major challenges are in the role and by framing it positively, by using the word ‘objective’, you are showing that you are not afraid of a challenge and that you understand the importance of setting and achieving goals, which is an important quality.
4.) How did this position come into existence?
Self-explanatory.
5.) What opportunities for training and development are there?
The best employers will be committed to training and development of staff so you should be looking for a detailed answer here.
6.) Are there any weaknesses in my application that may prevent you from making me a job offer? Do you need me to clarify anything else?
You are trying to close the deal, by finding out what niggling doubts or concerns that the employe may have so you can address them either immediately or in a follow up call/email. This question will help you to move one step closer to the job.
7.) Do you want to know how I can help your department?
8,) What is the next step in the process?
9.) May I have your business card? Always ask for a business card and ensure you follow up with a thank you note.
If you are still struggling to perform well at interview, I recommend that you download my powerful interview coaching e-book, titled, 9 Essential Steps to Prepare For Interview.
Written by An Experienced HR Professional, This Interview Preparation Guide Optimizes Your Interview Performance, and increases your chance of being hired, by enabling you to both pre-empt and prepare for questions that you are likely to be asked, and shows you how to answer those questions in the most optimal way. Download it today.
