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What Questions Can I Ask In An Interview

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Phone Interview Questions To Ask The Interviewer

Top 5 Questions to Ask in an Interview

Many employers conduct job interviews via the phone. Plan on preparing for a phone interview just as you would for an in-person interview by brushing up on your interview skills, reviewing the questions youll likely be asked, and preparing a list of your own questions to ask the interviewer.

Typically, after you have submitted a mailed or online application for a job, you may receive an email from the employer asking that you schedule a time with them for an initial phone interview.

What Are The Next Steps In Your Recruitment Process Before You Can Make An Offer

This is a good next steps question great for a candidate to ask last as it closes up the interview, Brady says.

Finally, theres the question of how many of these questions to ask. Dont ask them all!

Theres no perfect number of questions you should ask, but more than one is usually good. Aoife Brady says candidates should always ask at least two or three questions.

And if thats not enough to really find out all that you want to know, just check with the interviewer and they should be happy to tell you how many questions they have time to answer.

Questions To Ask About The Job

Question 1: Can you elaborate on the day-to-day responsibilities this job entails?

This is a good question to ask the hiring manager. The answer will be important for you to take into consideration as you determine whether or not this job is the right fit for you.

Question 2: What are the characteristics of someone who would succeed in this role?

Ask this question to the hiring manager or others on the interview panel who you might work with if you accept the job. Their answers will quickly give you an idea of the qualities they hope to see in the person they hire.

Question 3: Whats the most important thing I could do to help within the first 90 days of employment?

With this question, youre showcasing your desire and ability to contribute from day one. Its a good one to ask of the hiring manager.

Question 4: What are some of the challenges youve seen people in this role or on this team encounter?

During your interviews, you want to get a clear-eyed view of what this job is like why its hard and rewarding at the same time. Getting your interviewers perspectives on potential hurdles will give you a holistic picture.

Question 5: If I were in this job, how would my performance be measured?

Question 6: What does the career path for someone in this role look like?

Another one for the hiring manager. This question can signal your interest in growing at this company.

More questions to ask your interviewer about the job:

9. What would my first week at work look like?

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How Would Your Boss Describe You

This may give you a sense of the candidates relationship with previous managers. Reliable? Prompt? Efficient? Keep in mind, though, who youre asking. The answer will be simply their opinion of what the boss might have said. Thats why its still critical to check references. Request a list of contacts and give former employers a call to hear how their impressions align with the candidates.

Why Did You Decide To Work At This Company

Best Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

This question gives an interviewer a chance to do two self-serving things: talk about themselves and perform a no-holds-barred sales pitch on the company. For promising candidates, the sales opportunity is welcomed. And most people love any excuse to talk about themselves. )

How It Helps You

This gives you insight into what motivates your future colleague or manager, as well as insight into what the company offers its employees. If those all line up with what you’re looking for in a job, you’ve got yourself a good fit.

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Best Interview Questions To Ask Candidates In 2021

You found our list of the best interview questions to ask candidates.

Interview questions are questions that employers ask to determine the best fit for a position among a pool of candidates. Because interviewers have a limited amount of time to evaluate candidates, recruiters select questions that elicit informative and comprehensive answers. Examples of the most common interview questions include tell me about yourself, and what is your greatest accomplishment? but interviewers occasionally pose more strategic or unique questions to test applicants critical thinking skills and creativity.

These questions can also serve as icebreaker questions or team building questions.

This article contains:

So, here is the list!

Do You Have Any Interests Outside Of Work

If the interviewer asks you this question, take it as a good sign!

It means that they liked your professional background, and now theyre just trying to get to know you and see if youre a good fit for the company culture.

Its pretty hard to go wrong here, unless youre going to answer something like:

I have literally no hobbies.

or…

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Smart Questions You Can Ask In An Interview

Its the day of the big interview for your dream job. Youve been prepping for weeks. You know the company in and out. You know why youre the best candidate for the job. Youre ready to talk about your skills, weaknesses, ideas, plans, hopes, dreams, and favorite TV show.

And then they ask: any questions for us? And youve got nothing.

Dont be that person. Acing an interview doesnt just mean knowing all the answers to the questions that get thrown at you: it also involves having a good set of questions to ask them. Having smart questions prepared in advance shows that youre motivated, that youve done your homework, and that youre invested in learning more and being informed.

Good questions can also show what kind of a thinker you are or demonstrate your personality, giving you an extra boost as that candidate who thinks critically and digs for information successfully.

And most importantly, the answers you get can help you make sure youre making the right choice in this job youre applying for. After all, its not all about impressing the hiring manager: the company should impress you, too. Thats the difference between a good job and a dream job: making sure that not only does it look good on paper, but that its the right fit for you.

These cover the basic categories you might want to know about. Consider this the footnotes version of the kinds of questions you might want to ask.

1. Can you describe an average day at the office?

Why Is Anticipating Interview Questions Important

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The goal of anticipating interview questions isnt to memorize responses, but rather to get comfortable talking about these topics. This advance preparation will help you feel more confident and less on the spot during the interview.

As you develop your answers, select anecdotes and specific examples from your previous work experiences to share with your interviewers.

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What To Ask During A Job Interview

It’s your turn! As your job interview comes to a close, one of the final questions you may be asked is, “What can I answer for you?” Your interviewer will expect for you to have some questions.

Not asking any questions could make you seem unprepared or disinterested, so take the time to have some questions of your own ready to ask the hiring manager.

Plan ahead and have interview questions of your own ready to ask the interviewer.

You aren’t simply trying to get this jobyou are also interviewing the employer to assess whether this company and the position are a good fit for you.

Do You Have Any Hesitations Regarding My Qualifications For The Position

While this is a bold question, it shows that you’re interested in addressing any concerns the interviewer may have about your skills and competencies. It also demonstrates to the interviewer that you’re confident in your candidacy and will tackle any hesitations head-on. Depending on the response, it may also provide insight into where you stand compared to other job applicants.

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What Are The Most Challenging Aspects Of The Position

Asking this question to the interviewer shows that you’re thinking about contributing and succeeding in the position. Understanding the challenging aspects of the job allows you to highlight further your ability to handle the issues inherent in the position. How the interviewer answers this question can also warn you of leadership issues or unclear expectations.

Talk Me Through A Project That Initially Went Off The Rails That You Are Really Proud Of

PPT

Carly Leahy, Co-founder and CCO of Modern Fertility, knows full well that some of the biggest company game-changers started off on shaky ground. But with the right team in place, it doesnt have to mean the project is destined for the trash bin. I love seeing how people can be flexible and nimble and make lemonade out of lemons, she says.

Carl Narcisse, former Senior Technical Recruiter at Slack, also wishes more candidates would ask about the missteps they often tell you a lot more than the times everything went smoothly. He emphasizes how the team extracted learnings with his version of this question: Whats one project in the past year that hasnt gone as planned? What were the challenge areas, and how did the team learn from that?

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What Major Challenges And Problems Did You Face How Did You Handle Them

What They Want to Know: With this question, the interviewer is trying to understand how you handle issues and problems. Can you figure out solutions and workarounds when there is a problem? How adept are you at problem-solving? Do you enjoy a challenge, or do you get nervous when there’s a glitch?

When I was first hired as store manager, our turnover rate was 75% and we were chronically understaffed. I implemented performance incentive programs that reduced attrition by 63% and significantly improved our talent pipeline by focusing on internal training and promotion.

More Answers: Interview Question: How Did You Handle a Challenge?

Can You Tell Me More About The Department Or Team I Would Be Working In

This question not only gives you information about who you will report to when hired, but it also helps you understand the way the company is structured and the role you will have. Because your team includes the people you will work most closely with, you should gain a thorough understanding of the team dynamic and their working methods.

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If I Want To Do Well In This Role What Skills Do I Need To Focus On

Learn what hard and soft skills are essential to the role by asking this question. This gives your interviewer the opportunity to elaborate on what abilities can help you succeed in this role. If you already have a lot of the skills they are listing, this can be a sign that you’re prepared for the job.

What Specific Initiatives Has The Company Launched To Improve Diversity And Inclusion

Do You Have Any Questions For Us? (3 SMART QUESTIONS You MUST ASK At The End Of Your Job Interview!)

Another contribution from Laura Del Beccaro of Sora, this question starts us off by looking at the concrete steps the company has taken to create a more equitable workplace for all. While virtually every company speaks to DEI in the form of public statements or formal plans, its critical to probe and see if theres actual weight behind it, or simply talking points. Whether you identify as someone from an underrepresented background in tech or not, opening up the conversation to talk tangibles can unearth critical insights into how the company takes care of its employees.

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Other Potential Problem Questions

While not illegal in all states, or explicitly illegal, there are some other questions that could land your company in hot water:

  • “Have you ever been arrested?” This has been seen, in some cases, to lead to racial discrimination and being arrested does not mean guilty of anything.
  • “Can you work weekends or nights?” This can be seen as a question of religious observance or a proxy way of asking about family status.

Questions About The Company

One important note here: Dont ask things that you can easily find with a quick Google search .

  • What are the current goals that the company is focused on, and how does this team work to support hitting those goals?
  • What gets you most excited about the companys future?
  • How would you describe the companys values?
  • How has the company changed over the last few years?
  • What are the companys plans for growth and development?
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    What Motivates You To Work

    It is a simple question but requires the interviewee to exhibit a great amount of thought and often unlocks valuable discussions from a candidate looking internally for what truly motivates them.

    If they only answer at the surface level with something like I relish a challenge, this can convey that they are a less-than exceptional candidate.

    You may need to probe further do extract a deeper understanding of their motivations.

    How Do You Motivate Yourself

    Illegal Interview Questions

    You likely want candidates that can motivate themselves to reach their goals and complete their tasks on time, so this question can help you assess if they’re able to do that. It also allows you to assess the candidate’s independence. If they can motivate themselves, they can work without constant supervision.

    Example answer:”I motivate myself with a to-do list. I create a new to-do list every day with all my tasks, small or big. I organize the list by priority, the highest priority tasks go to the top, to ensure I complete the most important ones first. Being able to cross a task off my to-do list motivates me to keep going and complete my list by the end of the day.”

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    How Do You Deal With Pressure Or Stressful Situations

    If youre applying for a high-stress job, youre guaranteed to get asked this question.

    The aim of this question is to see if youre the type of person whod survive working at the job, or fall through the cracks when the first signs of trouble show up.

    Obviously, you wouldnt answer with the following

    Well, I end up having a panic attack, crying, and running away from work.

    Instead, answer as follows

    • Say that yes, you do tend to perform well during stressful situations
    • Give 1-2 examples of a situation where you had to perform well under pressure

    Now, lets go through some real-life examples:

    Possible answers:

    • Sample Answer 1:

    Though I cant particularly say I enjoy stressful situations, I AM very good at working under pressure.

    During chaos and panic, I tend to take a step back, think, plan, and prioritize.

    For example, there have been times Ive had to juggle multiple university projects and assignments at the same time. I would break up large assignments into small, individual tasks, and prioritize based on:

    • How fast I could complete each task
    • Figuring out which task would take the longest
    • Which project had the earliest deadline

    This way, my work became a lot more manageable. The most times I had to experience such situations, the better I performed overall.

    • Sample Answer 2:

    I actually prefer working under pressure. I look at it as a challenge – a situation where I really have to up my game to succeed.

    How Would Your Team Describe You

    Whats your management style? is an all-too-common question, more likely to elicit platitudes than nuggets of wisdom consider this minor reframing that majorly shifts the conversation, courtesy of Zainab Ghadiyali, a fount of career-building wisdom. She blazed an incredible trail as a product and tech lead at Airbnb and Facebook, and co-founded a side hustle that went on to be acquired by Anitab.org.

    One of the top three reasons people leave a job is due to manager misfit, so during the interview its critical to understand what the hiring managers style is, says Ghadiyali. Framing it from the perspective of the reports prompts the manager to think beyond their intent and instead consider their actual working relationships with the team, she says.

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    What Do The Most Successful New Hires Do In Their First Month Here

    This question shows that you’re the type of person who likes to hit the ground running, instead of spending a week filling out HR forms. It also shows that you recognize patterns of success and want to replicate only the most effective performers.

    How It Helps You

    Every company has its weird nuances, its own environment, and its own unspoken expectations. This helps you start with a little bit of the insider info so you don’t suffer a case of “if I knew then what I knew now” in six months.

    Why It’s Important To Prepare Questions To Ask In A Job Interview

    5 SMART QUESTIONS to ASK in a JOB INTERVIEW!

    Interviewees should always ask questions during an interview.

    It shows the interviewer that you are engaged and deeply interested in the opportunity. It also gives you the chance to gauge your interest in this position and employer. Interviews aren’t just for employers to decide if they want to hire you. They’re also for you to decide whether the employer fits your needs.

    Try to prepare around 10-15 questions that interest you. But keep in mind that sometimes there will only be time for a few questions make sure you prioritize correctly.

    Asking thoughtful questions informed by what you already know about the position and employer shows you’ve done your research.

    Consult our page on interview tips for more inspiration.

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