What Questions Should You Ask In An Interview

Describe Your Dream Job

Three words describe how you should answer this question: relevance, relevance, relevance.

But that doesn’t mean you have to make up an answer. You can learn something from every job. You can develop skills in every job. Work backward: Identify things about the job you’re interviewing for that will help you if you do land your dream job someday, and then describe how those things apply to what you hope to someday do.

And don’t be afraid to admit that you might someday move on, whether to join another company or — better — to start your own business. Employers no longer expect “forever” employees.

What Are The Key Milestones For Progression That You Expect From Students

This is a good follow on from the previous question. Some supervisors can be very hands off and set no expectations on their students about deliverables and if this is the type of student-supervisor relationship youre after , then perfect!

However, whilst a PhD project is an independent body of work, that doesnt mean you have to do it in isolation. Having a supervisor that also acts as a mentor is important a key aspect of this is to help keep you on track to complete your project in time, which is most effectively done using regular milestones.

The actual milestones will vary between supervisors but what youre looking for in their response is some indication that theyve actually thought about them. Examples of milestones may be the completion of the literature review within the first 6 weeks of starting, first experimental data captured by month 3 and first paper published by the time you end year 1.

Interview Questions About Your Future Manager Or Colleague:

• What’s your favorite part about working here?
• Why did you choose this career and industry?
• What’s your leadership style? What’s my future manager’s leadership style?
• What are some of your biggest worries or challenges these days? What keeps you up at night?
• How did you get your start with your career? How long have you been with the company?
• What has your career path looked like? Is there anything you’d do differently?
• What have been some of your biggest challenges during your career? How did you, or do you, deal with them?
• What do you feel has made you successful working here?
• What is your preferred way of communication? Email, phone, in-person?

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Questions To Ask During Your Phd Interview

As someone applying for PhD positions, youll no doubt be thinking of and preparing for the interview with your potential supervisor. Youre absolutely right to be doing this and planning your answers to some of the PhD interview questions that theyll probably ask you make sure youve read our guide on this to help you prepare.

Remember though that the PhD student-supervisor relationship works both ways as much as the potential supervisor is interviewing you for a PhD position within their lab, you should also have the mindset that youre also interviewing the professor for the role of supervisor, and be ready to ask questions! Ultimately the key thing you want to know after your PhD interview is you are both a good fit for each other.

With that in mind, Ive prepared a common list of questions that you should consider asking to help you decide if the supervisor and the research lab is the right fit for you. You dont need to ask all these questions but instead use this list as a guide for picking what feels most important to you.

I should also note that some of the answers to these questions can usually be found through a quick Google search of the potential supervisor or looking at their university profile. So do think about which questions in particular you want to bring up in person at the PhD interview.

Now on to the questions.

What Do You Consider To Be Your Biggest Professional Achievement

Here’s an interview question that definitely requires an answer relevant to the job. If you say your biggest achievement was improving throughput by 18 percent in six months but you’re interviewing for a leadership role in human resources, that answer is interesting but ultimately irrelevant.

Instead, talk about an underperforming employee you “rescued,” or how you overcame infighting between departments, or how so many of your direct reports have been promoted.

The goal is to share achievements that let the interviewer imagine you in the position — and see you succeeding.

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What Are The Next Steps In The Interview Process

This is not only a question you can ask to show youre interested in where the hiring process is going to go next, its also a great way for you to get some reassurance. Nobody likes waiting to hear back from a company and getting nothingat least this way youre prepped for how the process will continue and what to expectand when.

Informational Interview Question #: What Are The Major Components Of Your Job On A Daily Basis

You may think you know what this person does because of the job title, but you could be surprised. Perhaps you didn’t understand the job title as well as you thought, or maybe this particular organization handles things differently. This is a good informational interview question because it helps you learn what responsibilities they do on an average day so you can look past the basic job description and see what the job really entails.

What you will learn: Is this job really what you thought it was and does it sound right for you? It could be an eye-opener.

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A Cliche Interview Questions

You might have noticed that many of the common questions to ask in an interview are missing. These are questions were all familiar with such as Whats your greatest weakness? or Why should we hire you? The biggest problem with these questions is that theyre some of the most asked interview questions and candidates likely have prepared their answers ahead of time. There is plenty of content online for candidates instructing them how to answer these questions, meaning you may not get a truthful answer at all.

Plus, you cant be sure what exactly the answers to these questions indicate. Granted, if someone says I dont have any weaknesses or offers the covert brag of Im too hard-working, youll know they may not have the attitude youre looking for. But, most candidates will likely take the middle road naming a weakness thats small and unimportant. So, how do you compare answers of different candidates? You probably cant at least not confidently.

So, every time youre thinking of asking a well-worn, cliched question, consider a refreshing alternative not to catch the candidate off-guard, but to get a more genuine answer from them. Here are some examples:

Old question: Why should we hire you?

Better alternative: If you were hired, how do you think you could help with this project?

Old question: What is your greatest weakness?

Better alternative: Describe a time when you failed in your previous job.

Old question: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

What Did You Hate About Your Last Job

It can seem like a good question, as you can use it as a set up a situation in which you are extolling the virtues of the position you’re offering. But, the question opens up the opportunity for your candidate to become very negative.

Candidates dislike something about their current job, or they wouldn’t be job searching. But, they are generally trying hard to stay positive. Instead, ask questions about what they are looking for in their new job. What are you looking for in your new job? is a better, more positive question.

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What Are The Performance Expectations For This Position Will That Expectation Change The Longer I Am Doing The Job

This is a two part questionbut knowledge is power and the more you have, the better off you are! You want to make sure you and your employer establish early on what they expect from you performance wise and not just for the immediate future. If this is a job you plan on sticking with for a period of time, make sure early on that you know what they want you to do and if that will change over time.

Where Do You Think The Company Is Headed In The Next Five Years

The response you receive will give you an insight into the company’s progression plans and its place in the market, while giving you a general idea about job security. You may also get a heads-up on any major upcoming projects.

Asking about future plans shows a real interest in the organisation and reiterates your commitment to the company.

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‘what’s One Of The Most Interesting Projects Or Opportunities That You’ve Worked On’

“I like this question because it gets me thinking about my own experiences, and my response changes depending on what I was or am working on and in theory, should always be changing if I’m challenging myself and advancing,” Brown previously told Business Insider.

Brown said that by asking for a specific example, candidates can get a better picture of what the job entails and how people function in certain roles.

“I always liked getting this question because it would make me reflect on what experiences I was excited about or proud of at the time, and it would make me want to create more of these types of opportunities and experiences,” she said.

What Are Your Greatest Strengths To A Company

The ability of a candidate to talk about their strengths and still maintain their humility is a strong indicator of a winning personality.

This also gives the interviewee a chance to explain and align their strengths with the position they are interviewing for demonstrating attributes that will contribute to the companys goals.

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How Many Questions Should I Ask

Prepare at least 4 or 5 questions to ask the interviewer. Just remember that those questions might be answered throughout the interview. Also, questions may come up during the interview. Thats great! You want to try and turn the interview into a conversation between peers, so asking questions on the fly is a good tactic too. You dont have to always wait till the end.

Great Example Questions To Ask At The End Of An Interview

Weve prepared 14 solid explanations below for you to help kick start your creative juices as well as included why theyre good questions to ask the interviewer.

Of course, as always, these are example questions meant to help you write your own.

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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?

Whats One Fact Thats Not On Your Linkedin Profile

Heres another open-ended question to ask an interviewee that can help you uncover some interesting insights. Similar to asking, What do you think I need to know that we havent discussed? it could spark some conversation about a hobby outside of their 9-to-5 life or even a compelling story that reveals more of their strengths and motivations. This question can help you understand not just what a job candidate has done, but why.

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Types Of Questions You Should Ask During An Interview

To be successful, you should ask a range of questions during the interview to show your interest and further demonstrate your ability. It’s best to write down a list of top questions regarding the position, the interviewer’s career path, etc. and bring it to the interview. Here are the types of questions you should ask in an interview and why:

• Questions about the position

• Questions about the department where the open position is located

• Questions about the company culture

• Questions about the next stage of the interview process

Good Questions To Ask At An Interview

To make sure the employer knows you’re prepared and interested in the role make sure you have some questions ready to ask at the end of the interview

Your interview is going well. You’ve answered all the recruiters questions confidently and the session is coming to a close. One of the final things you’ll be asked will be, ‘Do you have any questions for me?’ To have a chance of securing the job, always say yes.

Having a list of questions to ask an interviewer makes you look interested, enthusiastic and engaged – all qualities that the employer will be looking for. It also gives you one final chance to further highlight your relevant qualities and experience.

Try to come up with at least four or five questions to ask the interviewer. That way, if one or two of them are answered during the earlier discussion, you have backups in place.

Avoid asking questions that focus too much on what the organisation can do for you. Save questions about salary and holiday allowance for when you’ve got a job offer. Also, stay away from questions that require a yes or no answer, as you’re likely to find this information on the company’s website.

While it’s ok to ask your interviewer to clarify certain points, avoid asking about anything that has previously been covered. You don’t want them to think that you haven’t been paying attention. If you need some inspiration here are some good questions to ask at an interview

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How Many Questions Should I Ask In An Interview

You should prepare at least four to five solid questionsmore is great of course, but less can lead you down a dark path.

Why?

Because odds are some of your questions might be answered during the course of the interview and if you havent prepared enough, you run the risk of ending up at the end with nothing left to askand weve already covered how that looks.

Okay, Im readylets get started!

Before you run off and begin writing down your questions, remembertailor, tailor, tailor! Just like youve tailored all your responses so far, tailoring your questions only helps to reinforce the idea that youre the perfect candidate!

How do you do this? The same way you do for traditional and behavioral questions. Do your research. Find Qualities, and infuse them into your questions to ask. Heres an example of a question to ask with a Quality infused:

In my past role I was leaned on heavily to provide leadership to a team of individuals, which I felt was an area that I succeeded in. What are the main responsibilities I would have that would require an elite level of leadership and could you see my past experience as a team leader benefiting me?

Wow! If I were a hiring manager, I would be blown away by this question. The candidate is proving that they really care about the job and making sure theyre able to do their absolute best if they were hired.