How Many Questions To Ask Not So Many
You shouldnt ask too many questions determine the number of questions you want to ask, when to ask them and pick your questions wisely.
Salary? no no Of course, asking about salary, benefits and vacation, during a regular interview is considered offensive/rude, might make the interviewer uneasy and consequently lead to losing the job interview.
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Pitch Our Company To Me As If I Were Buying Our Product/service
This is a unique and more challenging approach to the generic “What does our company do?” question. It forces candidates to not only drum up the research they’ve done to prepare for the interview, but also show they can use this research to craft a persuasive message that would be valuable in a business situation.
A good answer to this question:
This will come more naturally to some candidates than others. Above all, good answers to this interview question are able to combine an accurate definition of your company with what it offers to your core customer that they need or can’t get anywhere else.
Keep in mind that someone interviewing for a sales or marketing position might find it easier than someone interviewing for a non-client facing role — and that’s okay. You aren’t necessarily assessing their delivery. But it’ll be interesting to see how each candidate thinks through and gives their response.
Tell Me About A Time You Encountered A Business Challenge How Did You Overcome It
Structure your answer using the STAR method:
- S situation
- A action
- R result.
For example: In my last position as a junior accountant, I found it difficult to keep up with the latest legislation and frequently changing tax codes. I found myself falling behind, so I set up news alerts, and subscribed to industry publications. I strive to stay informed and believe that is key to staying ahead, so I can anticipate changes Ill need to make as needed.
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What Is Your Greatest Weakness
The key to nailing this dreaded job interview question is to not let it psych you out. When it comes to your greatest weakness, the hiring manager is not as concerned with what you say as how you say it. Theyre looking for honesty and confidence, so watch your body language and maintain eye contact.
Be sure to avoid clichés and cop-out answers like, Im a perfectionist. Hiring managers want something real. At the same time, dont get overly candid this is still a job interview, not a therapy session. Additionally, stay away from true deficiencies or anything that could impact your ability to do the job well. Practice your answer ahead of time and always give an example of how youre working to improve upon your weakness. For example:
Im an organized person, so I have trouble with last-minute changes and ambiguity. In school, I scheduled out all my work, but in an office environment, deadlines and priorities are always shifting. So, Im working to get more accustomed to those changes. Im taking an online class in project management, and its helped me make room for changing priorities. Now, if a last-minute change crops up, I know how to reprioritize.
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What Single Project Or Task Would You Consider Your Most Significant Career Accomplishment To Date
Lou Adler, author of The Essential Guide for Hiring & Getting Hired and Hire With Your Head, spent 10 years searching for the single best interview question that will reveal whether to hire or not hire a candidate — and this was the one.
A good answer to this question:
Candidates’ answers will tell you about their prior success and sense of ownership. A great answer will show they are confident in their work and professional choices while being humble enough to show they care about the company’s success. For example, if a candidate built a sales or marketing campaign they’re particularly proud of, listen for them to explain how the business benefited from it. Did it help the company sign a major client?
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Questions To Ask About The Company
While you should have researched the company, there is only so much you can gather from their website, listening to podcasts, and reading blog posts. If you’ve got pressing questions about strategy, whether they’ve got product-market fit, or their growth rate, ask questions like:
What Type Of Employee Tends To Succeed Here And What Qualities Are The Most Important For Succeeding Here
This question sheds light on whether the organisation has a clear idea of who they want to employ in the role. Hopefully, the ideal candidate looks a lot like you and if you feel like youve missed something they mention in response, you can always email the interviewer later to reiterate how well you think youll fit in.
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Questions About The Process
Whatever you do, always ask these three questions about the interview process. You need the answers to these questions to understand what your next steps are and when you should follow up.
- Do you have an ideal start date in mind?
- What is the next step in this process?
- What is your timeline for getting back to candidates about the next steps?
Are There Opportunities For Training And Progression Within The Role/company
Enquiring about development opportunities demonstrates to the interviewer that you’re serious about your career and committed to a future with the organisation.
You don’t want to be stuck in a dead-end job so if you’re unsure of the typical career path for someone in this role, asking this question will help you to assess whether a long-term career with the company is a possibility, or if you’d need to move on to gain further responsibility.
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What Should You Ask
Your questions should make it clear that you were engaged during the interview and have quickly gained a sense of the company’s goals and priorities. You can reflect back to earlier moments in the interview or build off of news within the company or its market.
Aim to always ask open-ended questions, and not questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no.”
What Have You Done Professionally That Is Not An Experience You’d Want To Repeat
A candidate’s answer to this question will give you an idea of how they viewed work they weren’t very happy with, which is bound to happen to everyone in every job at one point or another.
A good answer to this question:
HubSpot’s VP of Customer Service and Support Michael Redbord says candidates’ answers generally fall into a few categories:
Even the category of what they consider an experience they wouldn’t want to repeat is interesting, says Redbord. When you talk about extreme experiences that get people emotional, it can be very revealing. Keep in mind, however, that good answers don’t have to fall into any one category — what’s most important is if they extracted value from the experience despite their lack of interest in doing it again.
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Why Are You Leaving Your Current Job
This question can be hard to answer, especially if the reasons for your leaving arent great.
You should never, under any circumstances, insult or be negative about your prior workplace, boss, or colleagues, but if these things are the reason why youre leaving which are legitimate reasons you need to put a positive spin on it.
You want to:
- Have a positive spin
- Be clear and honest about your reasoning, but not too detailed
For example, Within my current role, Ive been able to develop my skillsets in risk identification and programming. Its recently become clear that these are my passions, and unfortunately, the opportunities for growth in these capacities is limited. Thats why I was so excited to learn about this opportunity. Youre a world leader in cybersecurity, and I would be keen to contribute in a role where these are key skills.
Interview Question: ‘do You Have Any Questions’
If you’re preparing for an interview, you may consider preparing questions to ask the interviewer. After sharing valuable information about the role and the company, most interviewers ask, ‘Do you have any questions?’ to see if you’ve prepared for the interview. Asking them thoughtful questions relevant to the role is a great way to make a lasting impression and learn more about the opportunities if you get the job. In this article, we explore why it’s important to ask questions in a job interview, discuss how to prepare them and list example questions you can consider asking the hiring manager.
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Questions To Ask So You Know What Happens Next
Now, ask the 5 essential MUST-ASK next step in the interview process questions so that you will understand how their process works, when you can expect to hear from them, what happens next, and who will be your contact. If you dont ask these questions, you will have no idea when you will hear from them next or where they are in their process which will be very stressful for you.
If you dont ask those questions, you also risk being in contact with the wrong person at the wrong time, looking either desperate or annoying.
What Has Surprised You About This Interview Process So Far
This is a question no candidate can really prepare for, and it’ll give you some indication of how candidates are feeling about the whole thing. Plus, you can see how they think on their feet.
A good answer to this question:
You’re looking for specifics here — something about the office space the personality of the team an assignment they were given to complete.
Honest answers are good answers, and answers that are directed at you are even better, as they show the candidate is confident speaking their mind in front of decision-makers. For instance, maybe the candidate was surprised you asked them about something on their resume that they don’t personally pay much attention to.
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Tell Me About A Time You Made A Mistake How Did You Handle It
Many people find this a challenging question, but its important to remember that no one expects you to be perfect. The trick here is to be honest, show a bit of self-awareness, but to give an example of a mistake you made and a lesson you learned that doesnt interfere with your ability to get the job done.
Again, resiliency, problem-solving, and how well you think on your feet are all qualities interviewers are looking for you to demonstrate here.
Questions To Ask About The Team
Your team will make up a big part of your work life, so it’s important to understand what they’re like, how they work, and what you’ll expect from you. This can come in the form of the following questions:
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Questions About Training And Professional Development
You can also use this question to get a sense of how you’ll be able to level up once you’re an employee of the company. It’s a good idea to preface these questions by expressing how excited you are about the role, otherwise you risk coming across as self-serving. Here are a few common questions:
What Is The Interviewer Looking For
Just as the question states, the interviewer wants to know if you have any questions. They are also looking for preparation and initiative they want to see if you took the time to formulate well thought out questions pertaining to the job and the company. This is the make or break portion of the interview, so keep reading and maybe I can help you formulate some questions for your next job interview.
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Ask The Right Questions At The Right Time
Its important to keep in mind, the interview process can be lengthy and typically involves several rounds of interviews. During the early interviews, your questions may be more general, but as you get to the final round of interviews, the questions you ask will be more specific and build off of the information youve acquired during previous interviews.
For example, asking about salary, vacation or other benefits is best left until the final interview. Its up to you to gauge the questions you ask based on where you are in the interview process.
Write And Categorize Your Questions
During the interview, the hiring manager may ask questions you were curious about before speaking to them. To prepare for this scenario, write a list of 10 potential questions that you want to ask during the interview. Separate these questions into equal sub-groups about the job, the company, and anything you found interesting in your research on the organization. At the end of the interview, determine if any of your questions remain, and if so, ask two to three questions from your list. Ideally, ask up to three questions to help ensure they are thoughtful and concise.
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How To Answer Do You Have Any Questions For Me Interview Question
Interviews are an opportunity for your prospective employer to determine if you are a good fit for a position, and it can also allow you to decide if the company is right for you. At the end of the interview, the employer may ask if you have any questions for them. Having a strong response to Do you have any questions for me? can make you a memorable candidate and give you valuable insight into the organization. In this article, you can review tips and examples of how to answer the Do you have any questions for me? interview question.
Questions To Ask The Interviewer
No matter how seamless the intervew was and how amazing your rapport with the interviewer is, you should always have a few questions ready to ask. Below we’ve outlined a few broad categories and some great questions to ask, along with things you should avoid.
If you don’t like the questions outlined below, read our guide on the best questions to ask in an interview.
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