We’ve all been there – trudging through the seemingly endless postings on job boards like Glassdoor and ZipRecruiter, awaiting that serendipitous “Ah-ha!” moment when you finally come across the job of your dreams. It’s as if the universe is yelling, “Hello! This is the job for you!” But even when you finally find “The One,” that glow of discovery doesn’t last long. Now you have to find a way to get an interview (and, yes, prepare for all of those tricky interview questions we have nightmares about).
Job seekers everywhere know just how competitive the job market can be. And it’s equally challenging to ensure that you and all of your passion and expertise stand out among the piles of applications and cover letters hiring manager encounter on a daily basis. Lucky for you, this is your dream job and you have the perfect CV to back it up (okay, maybe not perfect, but this is your dream, okay!?). Plus, you landed the first interview! Congrats!
Now what? You spend hours preparing and rehearsing, trying to predict any and every scenario you might face – from interview questions they might ask to the keywords and phrases you just have to remember to use. So, what do you do when it comes to the end of the interview, and it’s your turn to ask the questions? Believe it or not, this is truly your time to shine. Finally, you can demonstrate all that critical thinking you did about your potential future in the position. Now you get to interview them! So, where on earth do you start, and how do you make sure to ask the right questions in the best way? Look no further – we’ve got you!
“I can’t stress enough how important it is to ask questions. To me, this demonstrates an invested interest in the position…”
…explains Kyra Willans, who has over four years of experience working in recruiting and talent acquisition. She goes on to point out that “the recruiter or hiring manager typically does not want to extend an offer to a candidate who does not appear enthusiastic about the opportunity. This also demonstrates that you have a curious mind and are growth-oriented.” And while it’s certainly true that every hiring manager is going to be a little bit different and have their own preferences depending upon the position, a little extra preparation can still go a long way. Having a few (try to stick to three or four) solid questions ready when the table turns will ensure that you get the most out of your interview and leave the best possible impression. After all, you made it all this way! You might as well knock it out of the park!
Oh, just be sure to never ask about salary and vacation during your interview.
Let them bring it up or simply save those questions for an email with the HR or recruiting representative. And don’t ask them to describe the position. It’s you’re job to know what the position is! If you want clarity about a certain aspect of the job description, just be as specific as possible. Now, here are some of the very best questions you should be ready to ask at the end of the interview.
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1. How Do You Measure Success In This Role?
When looking for a new job, it’s important to know just what will be expected of you during the day-to-day. And the long term responsibilities are important too.
Knowing exactly what would be expected of you down the road after a certain amount of time will help you determine if the company’s expectations match well with your own personal goals. Will the role support your growth in the direction you want to go? Or does this role’s success look a bit different than you imagined? It’s a good thing to know! Willans also noted that, from a hiring perspective, this question “shows that you are performance-minded and aspire to be the best!”
2. Why Do You Like Working For This Company?
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This is one of the classics.
A strong go-to question that can quickly give you a sincere inside-look at the company. Obviously, the person interviewing you went through the very same process you’re now in. So what made them accept their position and keep it? You might end up getting a standard, semi-scripted answer from them. However, if you pay attention to the interviewer’s body language, pauses, and vocabulary you might be able to learn a little more than you expected about what the company is really like.
3. What Are The Biggest Challenges Facing The Company Currently?
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Depending upon the type of industry that you’re in, or going into, it’s good to have an awareness of its challenges, developments, and general structure.
When asking a question like this, there’s no need to get too specific about the challenges you imagine the company could be facing. But by inviting the interviewer to describe some of the recent struggles and potential solutions, you can show that you are aware, interested, and up to the task. Willans points out that this question also shows “that you are not scared of a challenge, and are problem-solving minded.” You’re ready to hit the ground running, after all!
4. Is There Anything Else From My Resume We Haven’t Discussed? Can I Clarify Anything Further?
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One Redditor provided a short list of their favorite end-of-interview questions, to which another Redditor, a former hiring manager, had this to say:
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Now, you’ll probably have to take a deep breath and put on a brave face before asking this type of question. But even in a worst case scenario, you end up learning some really valuable information about yourself as a candidate, so long as the interviewer is transparent with you. But before you ask, give your qualifications and the job description a close look. Then ask yourself, honestly, which areas could be seen as weaknesses. That way, you can have information, plans, or a solid response ready should you need to use it. Willans also pointed out that “you won’t always get an honest answer here, but it’s great to show that you’re invested in honest feedback and improving yourself, and it gives you an opportunity to address any concerns that may be in your interviewers’ heads.”
5. What Are The Soft Skills That Someone In This Role Should Have?
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Soft skills can be hard to show on paper, especially as our world becomes increasingly data-driven and hard-skill focused.
But any hiring manager knows just how important it is for people to be able to work, communicate, and coordinate well with other coworkers. By asking your interviewer which soft skills they think are the most essential to the role you want, it “shows you are imagining yourself in the role,” as Willans points out. Moreover, you prove that you’re thinking about the role from numerous perspectives, not just about how it sounds on paper.
6. What Made You Interested In Working Here?
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This question is an interesting take on the “why do you like working here” question.
Instead of asking about their experience as an employee, it asks the interviewer exactly what attracted them to the company in the first place. Did they already know someone working there? Did they read a good review? Or did the recruiter simply see an opening and have their very own “ah-ha!” moment? This inquiry helps provide an understanding of the way the company holds itself in the public sphere. It’s particularly if useful if you weren’t familiar with them before applying.
7. What Would Your Biggest Critics Say About You?
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“This will get you to the realness,” explains Willans.
“If the company can’t own their shortcomings with humility and isn’t open to feedback, it’s usually a bad sign,” she continued. This is similar to the question about the challenges that the company faces. That inquiry, however, can often be diluted with general industry challenges as opposed to referencing the specifics of the company itself and its public perception.
8. Is This A New Position, Or Would I Be Replacing Someone?
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This may seem like a scary, internal question to ask. But it’s absolutely your business to know the history and status of your potential position.
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Knowing whether the position is new or preexisting will give you a good clue as to what else you might need to follow up on.
If the position is new, make sure that you receive clarity and specifics about the trajectory of the role. You can also determine the role’s goals or milestones and how it fits into the rest of the company or department. Alternatively, if this is an existing position, finding more information about why the recruiters need to fill it can give you an inside look at the company. For instance, did the person who had the role before you leave on good terms? Were they let go? If the latter is true, it might be good to ask a follow-up question. Think along the lines of, “How have others before me been successful in the role? How did they struggle?”
9. How Could I Surprise, Or Impress, You In This Position?
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This question manages to do a few things that can work in your favor.
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First, it invites the interviewer to share with you their greatest hopes for the role you’re applying for. You can learn about their ideal candidate and ideal levels of progress. Alternatively, the question gives you a sneak peek into the expectations the company may secretly have for itself and its employees. Upon hearing to their answer, be sure to ask yourself, “Are these goals and expectations realistic?” You definitely want to make sure that you’d move into a role that supports your ideal work-life balance and your career ambitions.
Speaking of work-life balance…
10. What’s The Work-Life Balance Like Here?
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This question is so important and totally underrated in our fast-paced, workaholic culture.
Though a lot of us certainly try to be, we are not our jobs. It’s important to have a life outside of the office. Personal time is good for your mental health, and it helps you bring innovative ideas and epiphanies to the office. You need those moments to recharge! Far too often, though, our jobs can put some pretty heavy workloads on us. Though that is understandable and even energizing from time to time, it’s certainly not sustainable. Understanding how the company approaches this balance will let you know whether you’d be signing up for emails at 10 p.m. or weekends of peace and quiet.
11. What Would The Responsibilities For This Position Look Like In Six Months? In A Year?
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Be careful with this one! It can make you appear ambitious or impatient depending upon your delivery.
Let’s cut to the chase: you want to know what you’re future will look like if you take this job, and certainly, everyone is working for that elusive promotion. But, according to Willans, this question really “depends on the audience, but talking about promotions already may imply that you will not be happy in this role and will already want more before you even have the job.” Yikes. Just be sure that you ask it in a tone that suggests curiosity not. Try, “What would the responsibilities for this position look like in 6 months? In a year?” And absolutely avoid asking, “What do the opportunities for advancement look like in this role?”
12. If I Were To Start Tomorrow, What Would Be My First Task?
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Big picture stuff is great and so important. Really understanding the nitty-gritty of the day to day, though, will tell you a lot about how excited you’ll be to come into work.
When applying for any job, it can be easy to overlook the day-to-day tasks that would be required of you. Besides, it’s fun to think about successfully completing big projects, working with teams of passionate people, and hitting all those milestones ahead of schedule! But understanding the details of each behind-the-scenes task associated with this success is important, too.
12. What Are The Next Steps In The Position?
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This question is a crowd favorite to be sure. It lets you know exactly what to expect next.
Obviously, at this point, everyone is hoping that the next step in the process is a celebratory, “You’re hired!” But coming right out and asking, “So did I get the job?” or, “When do I start?” will probably not get you the kind of answer you desire. Asking in such a blunt way can make you come across as arrogant and assuming, according to Willans’s experience. Instead, asking about next steps is a safe way to say, “Please hire me I’m so interested!” while also finding out whether you should expect to interview with another person in a week or receive some other type of follow up inquiry.
13. Where Do You See The Company Being In Five Years?
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What’re the company’s ambitions?
Asking about the company’s goals and ambitions as a whole, and those of the specific department you’d work in, is a great way to see how the business operates. Moreover, you’ll learn where they are going and how much fun you’d have being part of that plan. If the goals are ill-defined or vague, you might want to take a closer look at the company’s history and structure. Ensure they’re as organized and ambitious as you! And if they have a three, five, or 10-year plan in place that is meticulously detailed, then you found yourself a company worthy of your skills.
14. How Long Do People Typically Work Here?
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Scary as this might be, it’s important to understand what the turnover rate is at any company.
Why is this important? The turnover rate can tell you a lot about the company culture and just how happy people feel at work every day. Is the office conflict-ridden and toxic? Chances are people won’t stick around too long. Meanwhile, if people tend to stick around and get promoted into new positions, the office likely has a supportive HR department, perks, and staff activities that make work feel more like a community rather than just a commute.
