Maven has put together a list of Top 10 Questions To Ask During an Interview.
A good interview should be an opportunity for both the potential employer and the potential employee to find out if they are a good fit. That means both parties should be asking questions. Many times, the person being interviewed spends so much time preparing how to answer interview questions that they forget to prepare a list of questions to ask. Asking the right questions lets your interviewer know that you’ve done your research on the company. Don’t worry; we’ve compiled a list of 10 of the most important questions to ask during your interview.
1. What are your company’s goals for the next 5 years?
This question shows that you’re interested in this company for the long haul. You want to use your skills to make business better for them, and you want to be a part of their accomplishments. You can even preface this question with a specific goal that you read about in your research on the company.
2. How do you plan to develop my specific department?
This question further shows how you plan to be a part of the company’s growth. You can use this question as an opportunity to interject how you’ve accomplished similar developments in previous positions.
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a company?
Most interviewers will ask you this question in some form, and it’s smart to ask them the same thing. You want to know where room for improvement is within the company, and it also gives you a way to find out how knowledgeable your interviewer is on the current status of the company.
4. How do you feel my specific role will help accomplish your company’s goals?
Finding out how your role fits in to the company’s “big picture” will give you an idea of what’s expected of you. Especially if it’s a newly added position, it’s important to know where you’ll fit in the scheme of things.
5. Whom will I report to, what is their management style and how will my performance be evaluated?
Knowing whom your supervisor is, and what tools are used to evaluate your performance further helps you see what you’ll need to accomplish in your role. It’s a good idea to find out the specifics of progress reports, such as monthly meetings, weekly email updates, etc.
6. What opportunities for advancement does this position offer? Alternatively, what roles have past team members taken and after how long?
Most companies will want to retain the employees for as long as possible and great companies will promote from within. Offering room for advancement, and helping employees achieve their long-term career goals shows that the company is invested in them, and that it will create a positive, fostering work environment.
7. What is the reason for the vacancy in this role?
People leave their jobs for a variety of reasons, but some of those reasons are indicative of the work culture itself. Knowing why there is a vacancy in the role is a good way to discover something about the culture. An employee who retired with the company shows that their retention rate is high, whereas an employee who left for better opportunities shows that maybe this company might not provide much room for advancement.
8. What is a typical work day like for this role?
Most of the questions so far have been about work culture, company goals, and how your skills can fit with those goals. This questions switches things up a bit and helps you find out some concrete information about the job itself: daily hours, daily duties, if you’re expected to travel in the role, etc. This type of question is important. If the daily hours aren’t what you were expecting, that can undermine the rest of the good qualities of the job.
9. When do you plan to have this role filled?
Finding out a timeline for the role lets you plan accordingly for a start date if you get hired, as well as giving your current employer appropriate notice. Feel free to establish a communication check point so you don’t get left in limbo.
10. What are the next steps in the interview process?
Don’t forget to ask what comes next! Many companies will want second and third interviews as they narrow down candidates. Find out when you can expect to hear from them, and if it will be via phone or email. Ending on this note lets them know you’re very interested, and definitely want a follow-up. Make sure you also obtain every interviewer’s business card, so you can send a thank you note and follow up if it’s been too long. Even if you don’t get the job, having a contact in the industry can be a valuable asset.
11. Bonus Question, “Do you think that I’m a good fit for the position?” If/when they say yes then ask “When can I start?”
If the interview is going well and they’ve pictured you in the role then ask for the job. This question is a little riskier but I’ve had great success with it. Regardless, You’ll get a true assessment of where you rank and it shows confidence and initiative.
