What Questions To Ask An Employer In A Job Interview

Questions About The Company

7. How would you describe the culture here? What type of people tend to really thrive here, and what type dont do as well?

Sometimes hiring managers are pretty bad at accurately describing the culture on their teams in part because they have a vested interest in seeing it a certain way and in part because they have an inherently different vantage point than their staff members do. For example, Ive heard incorrigible micromanagers tell candidates that they like to give people a lot of independence and autonomy and they probably really believed that about themselves. So take managers descriptions of culture with a heavy grain of salt , but theres still value in hearing what they do and dont emphasize.

But asking about what types of people tend to thrive versus those who tend to struggle can get you more revealing information. Youll often learn what that manager really cares about in their employees, or which traits will set you up to clash with them, or whos likely to bristle at their management style.

8. What do you like about working here?

You can learn a lot by the way interviewers respond to this question. People who genuinely enjoy their jobs and the company will usually have several things they can tell you that they like about working there and will usually sound sincere. But if you get a blank stare or a long silence before your interviewer answers, or the answer is something like the paycheck, consider that a red flag.

Interview Questions To Ask Employers

One of the last questions a hiring manager will ask you during an interview is Do you have any questions for me? You should have a shortlist of questions prepared to ask employers at this time. Asking questions about the company will give you insight into their culture and demonstrate that you did your research and are truly interested in working for them.

Culture Fit Interview Questions

Building on the idea that hiring for personality is at least as important as hiring for experience , hiring an employee that fits in with the culture you are trying to establish is extremely important.

The right answer to many of these questions will depend on the culture of your business, or the culture you would like to build. What does your company look like, and what does ideal company culture look like for you? If youre just starting out, get a sense of how to answer these questions for yourself first, before you begin asking candidates.

For example, if you strive to create a company culture where employees are like family, and routinely grab a meal or a round of drinks after work, a job candidate who expresses distaste for workplace functions and social gatherings might not be a great fit.

Look out for areas where your style of running an office and their preferred work environment overlap, and where they clash. This can be the hardest thing to get right, because while someone may be a great employee on paper, the two of you also need to share a similar philosophy about what makes a place great to work for.

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‘who Would I Be Reporting To’

It’s important to ask about the pecking order of a company in case you have several bosses, Oliver wrote.

If you’re going to be working for several people, you need to know “the lay of the internal land,” she says, or if you’re going to be over several people, then you probably want to get to know them before accepting the position.

Whats The Salary Budget For This Role

When to ask about compensation can be a tricky path to tread. While it might feel too brusque to ask upfront, it can sometimes save a lot of time for everyone involved.

As a job seeker, you dont want to going on several rounds of interviews only to find out at the end that the pay is below your expectations, Salemi says. Interviewers also don’t want to pour time and energy to fall head over heels for you only to find out theyre not on the same page with salary at the end of the process.

If youve been given a range that fits your requirements, then its appropriate to wait to discuss exact pay until after youve received an offer, when youre hammering out the details to negotiate a salary. If you have no ballpark whatsoever, asking upfront for at least a range can be helpful so that no one wastes their time.

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What To Ask: If Im Hired What Are The Three Most Important Things You Will Want Me To Accomplish During My First Six Months At The Company

Why ask: Having this as one of your questions to ask in an interview shows confidence, as youre clearly looking ahead to what youll do in the position. Second, it shows that you know the company is hiring someone because it has a need and that you believe you can fill it. And finally, it sets expectations for both you and the manager if you do, indeed, get hired.

Most Common Interview Questions

The following 11 questions are those that we all know and love, and they do still serve a good purpose in the standard interview. They can be used as openers, closers, or as a transition from one topic to the next.

What questions do you have for us?

Great candidates ask questions that not only demonstrate that theyve thoroughly researched the companys strategic direction, but also envision themselves in the role, contributing to that direction.Lynda Spiegel, Founder, Rising Star Resumes

Why are you looking to leave your current role?

I ask this question because I want to see if the candidate is negative about the existing employer or state that they are being let go.Kathleen Steffey, CEO, Naviga Recruiting & Executive Search

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

This question will give you some insight into how much thought a candidate has put into where they are going in life or where they want to go and will give you some insight into how much passion and drive they have!Neha Gupta, Elite Private Tutors

What two or three things would be most important to you in your ideal job, and why?

I ask this question to understand the candidate better. It can let me know several things, including what their priorities are.Shilonda Downing, Virtual Work Team

Describe the last significant conflict you had at work and how you handled it?

Tell me about yourself.

Here are 5 more traditional standby interview questions that you can use for any role, from my recruiting experience:

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Great Interview Questions To Ask A Potential Employer

When prepping for a job interview, youll also need some questions to ask the employer. When it comes to the end of the job interview, youll probably be asked do you have any questions? and yes, you do! Of course, you dont want to ask questions that were answered in the job description, but you also want to make sure that youre applying to a place where youd be a good fit.

Just in case your mind might go blank during that crucial job interview, weve made a list of great job interview questions to ask a potential employer. Pick and choose which questions to ask an employer, so that youre ready when the day comes. You only need one or two, but heres a full buffet so you can choose one that makes a difference to you:

Second Interview Questions To Ask Employers

Youve survived applying for the job and round one of the interviews. By the end of the round two interview, youve answered all the tough questions without breaking a sweat. Now, youre at the end of the second interview and youre in the drivers seat. What questions are you going to ask the employer?

As much as you might like to turn the tables a little , thats probably not the way to go. This is your chance to find out everything you need to know about the job. Dont squander this opportunity! Take advantage of it.

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Whats The Companys Approach To Supporting Work

Why ask it: The answers received from this question will help you determine if the company really does support work-life balance and in what ways. Asking about any new things theyve done as a result of the pandemic will tell you if the company is responsive to the ever-changing needs of its workforce.

What Have You Enjoyed Most About Working Here

This question gives you an opportunity to connect with your manager on a personal level, to understand his or her personal drivers and motivations.

You may uncover something about his or her personal life that you can connect over, and you may also discover a little about the culture in the team and wider business.

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Questions To Ask An Interviewer

The most overlooked key to job interview success: The questions you ask in the interview. They can be the deciding factor in whether or not youre hired.

In this article, Im going to share 100+ good questions to ask your interviewer.

And its all broken down by category so you can ask a mix of questions about the job, the team, the companys culture, and more.

Lets jump into the list of questions to ask in your job interview to get hired.

Best Questions About Contribution And Problem Solving

3. Tell me about your greatest achievement at work.

What you want to know: The applicants answer tells you a lot about what they value and consider important. It also demonstrates what the applicant considers to be an achievement. This will tell you about the most important contributions they consider that they make at work.

Occasionally, consider asking an additional question about what the prospective employee thinks of when asked to name the three key values that they would bring to your workplace.

My greatest achievement, one that I will remember for a long time, was when I led my product development team to release a major product release on the date we had promised our customers and resellers. This was probably the first time in company history that we released a product on time. I had a fantastic team that was highly motivated to add this achievement to our record. Everyone pulled their own weight, contributed their work on time, and they were committed to adding value for our customers.

4. Tell me about a time when you had to overcome a major obstacle that stood in the way of you accomplishing a goal or commitment. How did you approach the situation?

Once I had a co-worker who needed to provide several reports for me every week by Tuesday. They were late almost every week, which caused me to be unable to complete my overview of the department’s performance.

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Best Questions To Ask An Employer In An Interview

Remember that each interview is unique and you will need to tailor your questions appropriately. You most likely do not need to ask all 18 questions but you will find there are other questions you should ask based on how the interview is going.

What About This Position Is Most Important How Does It Support Management And Serve Direct Reports

This is an important and good question to ask in an interview because it can help you get insight into the position and how it fits into the network of the company. Who will you support? Who will you supervise and guide? What is their management style or working style? What skills are critical for success?

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Stay Interview Questions That Top Employers Askyour Browser Indicates If You’ve Visited This Link

This is a great case for prioritizing the underutilized stay interview and learning which stay interviewquestions are most effective. When quit rates rise, conducting stay interviews with your top-performing employees may help you uncover solutions to your retention problems that you hadn’t otherwise considered.

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Whats The Biggest Challenge For This Position

Getting an honest answer to this question from an employer could be interview gold. Itll be up to you to decide if you can handle the challenges or not. If the challenges of the position are something you know you can handle or fix, your confidence can increase twofold. Be sure to show how you have the skills to take on the challenge. If the interviewers answer makes you nervous, this can be reason to pause and reconsider if this is the best job for you.

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What Challenges Did My Predecessor Face

This question can be scary, but beneficial the answer is vital. Straight, direct, and positive with an explanation is a good sign, while hesitation is a red flag. This is about you assessing the company as much as it is about the interviewer assessing you smart interviewees want to know the challenges of the job.

Have Other People Failed In This Position And Why

In your job search, its a good idea to ask about whether people have struggled in a role youre thinking of taking.

The companys answer can give you valuable information about how to succeed if hired, but can also warn about a position with some potential red flags.

For example, if a company says that each person theyve hired failed to learn the required skills, youd be smart to ask the interviewer about the training process and how much time each person was given to learn the role.

Your goal in an interview is to impress the hiring manager, but its also important to gather info about the role and protect yourself from taking any bad jobs that will set you back in your career.

So an employers answer to this question will provide you with valuable info to help with that. And since this is a question that most job seekers arent asking, youll set yourself apart and gain some bonus points for asking something different and creative in the interview.

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Questions You Can Ask

What type of work will you be doing?

• Can you tell me more about the day-to-day duties and responsibilities of this position?
• What would a day in the life of a _____ with your organisation look like?
• What challenges will I have in this job?

What training and progression opportunities are there?

• What kind of induction or training programme will I complete when I begin the job?
• Will there be opportunities for increased responsibility?
• Is there a regular performance review? How is this organised?

What are the people like?

• Can you tell me about the team I will be working with?
• How big is the team I will work with?
• Does the team work closely with other teams?

Whats the organisation like?

• What is the culture of the organisation like?
• What are the biggest challenges and opportunities the organisation is facing right now?
• Where do you see the organisation headed in the next few years?

Have Questions Ready To Ask During An Interview

Asking questions is a great way to dig into the company culture and the specific day-to-day responsibilities of the job so that, should you be hired, your first week or so in the position won’t be accompanied by any major surprises.

Asking questions can also give you the opportunity to further highlight some of your qualities, skills, and experience, and show the employer why you’re a terrific match for the job.

Melissa Ling / The Balance

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Get Ready To Get Hired

Looking for a new job can be stressful, but being prepared can lower that stress level and give you some sense of control. By making sure your résumé is of high quality, preparing to answer questions and make a good impression ahead of time, ensuring youve earned a certification to increase your credibility and skill level, youre taking positive steps toward success. Knowing which questions to ask after an interview can help too. Because you never get a second chance to make a first impression, but you need to make a lasting impression too.

What Will Be My Biggest Challenge In This Role

This question has the twofold benefit of demonstrating to your interviewing manager that you are keen to tackle challenges and helping you to uncover what unique obstacles you may face.

No role is perfect its important that you understand what the unique challenges of the role will be so that you can evaluate if they are challenges you feel motivated to overcome or not.

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