What Date And Time Is It
This is a crucial step not only for in-person interviews but remote interviews, too. When youre doing a video interview , you and your interviewer may not be in the same time zone. Even if you are, the interviewer may operate on a different schedule because the companys main office is in a different time zone.
When youre confirming the date and time of a remote interview, make sure youre also confirming the time zone of the interview. That can be your time zone or theirs, but make sure you and the scheduler are clear on which time zone youre talking about.
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.
You Might Be Competing With Colleagues
The fact is, if youre going for an internal role in your company, its highly likely that some of your colleagues might have a similar skillset or experience level to you. This can affect you in two ways. Firstly you will have to compete extra hard as you may not necessarily be the standout candidate. Secondly, your colleagues might also be close friends. You want to be careful that going for the same role as them doesnt create any animosity between you.
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How Do You Deliver Negative Feedback
If you would be working with the person interviewing you, this is another tough question that can give you some insight into how the team works. It pushes the hiring manager to think about how he or she would handle an uneasy situation, while at the same time showing your level of maturity in that that you expect to receive tough feedback sometimes.
How It Helps You
Just like different people take negative feedback differently, different people give negative feedback differently. Does this person tailor their feedback approach depending on whom they’re giving feedback to? Do they make feedback a two-way street? Their feedback style — especially when it comes to negative feedback — will help you understand how well you would be able to work with them.
What Are The Top Three Customers That Youve Won And The Top Three Customers That Youve Lost
We love that this question from Max Branzburg requires a more specific answer than overly-sanitized marketing speak: You get a real sense of how they’re doing in the market, what’s working well and what’s not, he says. Key here is to also dig in with your follow-up questions: What are they doing to replicate their biggest wins, and what are the most valuable takeaways from the losses?
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What Are Some Of The Biggest Challenges Within The Department Currently
Job seekers sometimes worry about sounding negative in a job interview, so they might be inclined to avoid questions like this. But the truth is, running a company is never a complete cakewalk â there are always obstacles to overcome and problems to solve, so itâs worth digging into them.
âThis allows you take a peek behind the curtain and to understand the companyâs challenges,â DeVilbiss explains. Whatâs more, it allows you to describe how you would attempt to solve those problems.
âOnce the interviewer has outlined current challenges, the candidate has the perfect opportunity to discuss why and how their background and accomplishments/experiences can be put to immediate use in dealing with those challenges,â Sullivan says.
Informational Interview Question #: What Do You Like Least About Your Job
Remember, this isn’t an actual job interview, so you can venture outside the questions you would ask in an interview. You’re talking to a regular employee, and they don’t have to blow smoke they can tell you exactly how it is. It could be the mundane, everyday tasks they hate. It might be office politics. Maybe it’s a lack of support from management or there being few advancement opportunities. Whatever the case, take note. There’s a good chance your own career could battle similar demons.
What you will learn: It’s great to hear the upside of a job, but you need to hear the downside as well. Put them together and you can measure for yourself if this is something you would enjoy.
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+ Questions To Ask In A Job Interview
Job interviews should feel like a conversation, with two people asking and answering questions. You should follow the lead of your interviewer and prioritize giving them information about yourself, but know that interviewers expect you to ask questions, too. When you do, it shows that you have enthusiasm for and genuine interest in the job.
In this quick video, Indeed recruiter Linda gives examples of questions you can ask your interviewer.
Your opportunity to ask these questions typically comes at the end of the interview. Its a chance to learn more about the company culture, the challenges and opportunities the organization is facing, and what being in this job is really like.
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Five Relevant Questions A Candidate Can Ask During An Interview
Can you tell me more about my daily responsibilities for the role?
This is one of the most relevant questions to ask in an interview. The question will give you an insight into the role and what it requires. This question will help you determine if this role is suitable for you or not. This question will open your eyes to the daily realities of the job position you will be facing. Once you assume duty there will be nothing that will baffle you.
Can you enlighten me more about the working culture of the organization?
The response to this question will help you analyze the working environment of the organization and whether you fit in or not. The recruiters response will help you determine if there is work-life balance in the organizational culture and also employee benefits. The job recruiter response will show if the company value employees happiness or not.
Where do you think the Company will be in the next five years to come?
This question will give you an insight into the companys plans and the progression of your career. It will also give insight into the future project the company plans to embark on and its placement in the market. Asking about the future of the company shows you believe in the companys vision, and you are committed to making it be a reality.
How can I impress you in the next three months?
Can you enlighten me more about the team and department I will be working with?
You can ask follow-up questions in this segment like:
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Do You Know Which Companies Or Positions Would Best Suit Me
An industry professional can give you information about that particular industry and the specific skill set needed for that job title. Beyond this, its just speculation as they are unaware of your specific skills, talents, and situation. PhDs do your research and analyze your strength this question intimates your lack of self confidence to the contact. You need to develop enough confidence to make your own decisions.
Question #: Is There Anything About My Background Or Resume That Makes You Question Whether I Am A Good Fit For This Role
This question displays that youâre highly invested in the job and committed to understanding your prospects as a candidate. Plus, it will also allow you an opportunity to respond to any potential concerns. Lastly, this question is best to ask at the end of the interview to gauge where you might stand within the job process.
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Can You Tell Me About A Time When You Had A Disagreement With A Boss Or Colleague And How You Handled The Situation
This is one of the best questions to ask an interviewee because youll get a sense of their conflict resolution abilities. What tone does the person use when talking about the other people involved? Were they able to handle the situation described appropriately? Did they find common ground? Emotional intelligence is keenly needed in almost every job.
Questions You Should Not Ask In A Job Interview
Ok, now that you have some surefire questions you can ask that will impress hiring manager lets go over the types of questions you should avoid asking. As youll see, these questions reflect poorly on you and paint you as a less than ideal candidate
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Keep Some General Questions In Mind
Pick some general opinion-based questions that you can ask anyone within the organization.
These questions will come in handy when you meet multiple people in the hiring process and you are not sure what the appropriate questions for them would be.
Questions about the company culture, the future of the company, and what they like most about the company are great examples of such general questions.
What Is Something That The Company Changed At The Request Of Its Employees That Did Not Originate From An Executive
Another one from Outliers Sean Byrnes, who tackles the often broad conversation around employee experience by quickly narrowing the focus to simply employeeimpact. How much do employees have a voice? Is information flowing upward, or is the company stuck in a hierarchical standstill? While particularly valuable for folks interviewing as an individual contributor, even managers may find this question useful to look out for their future teams growth potential.
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You Dont Have To Worry About Logistics
It sounds fairly straightforward, but how often have you got stressed out before an interview because you didnt know how to find the office, or you didnt know where to park? Or you werent aware of the rigorous security process youd have to follow when entering a building? Literally ALL of these situations, which can massively contribute to stress and anxiety are nonexistent because youre already in the building!
Did I Answer All Of Your Questions
Starting with this question can help transition from the interviewer’s questions to your questions better than anything else. Plus, it allows the interviewer to point out any aspects of your answers that they’d like you to elaborate on further. Not only does this help you demonstrate your qualifications for the position, but it can also be used as a useful gauge to see how the interview is going overall.
Additionally, make sure you mention that you do have other questions. For example, the interviewer may ask if you have any questions after they’ve asked everything they need to. A proper response would be, “Yes, I do have some questions, but is there anything more you wanted me to elaborate on first?” This establishes that you have your own line of inquiry rather than merely appearing as though you want to extend the interview without any effort on your part.
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Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years Time
An interviewer will be impressed if you have considered your short-term and long-term goals. Talk about the kind of job you’d eventually like to do and the various steps you will take to get there.
Show that you have the ambition and determination to make the most of every job you have held to get where you want to be and always relate this back to the position you’re interviewing for. Avoid telling the interviewer that you want their job.
Interview Question #: Is There Anything On My Resume I Can Clarify For You
If a recruiter or hiring manager has a question, then generally you will be asked, but this is a polite way to ensure there are no questions. Alternatively, you could ask the interviewer if there is anything on the resume to give them hesitation about hiring you. Both of these questions can help resolve any qualms the interviewers may have about continuing with your application.
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What’s The Hardest Piece Of Feedback You’ve Received And What’s The Hardest Feedback You’ve Given
Jiaona Zhang of Webflow previously outlined her insights on the Review for building minimum lovable products that puts the user and their feedback at the center, and its still a favorite among our readers. Zhang puts a premium not just on the customers feedback she also wants to carefully excavate how comfortable a future manager is with criticism on both sides of the table. Heres what to look for in the answer to this question:
Theyve got a few examples on the tip of their tongue. Doling out feedback should be a consistent line item of any people managers to-do list.
They talk about their approach. Candid, hard feedback should never be delivered haphazardly. How did they take extra care to create the right conditions so that this feedback could be best received?
Who do they typically receive feedback from? If all the examples reference the manager receiving feedback from higher-ups, you may have a hard time getting through if youre trying to signal up the chain.
Whats Your Dress Code
Whether its an on-site interview or video interview, find out what employees typically wear, then use that as a guide to choosing your interview outfit. Wear something thats a notch up from the dress code, so you dont overdress or underdress, but still look professional. You dont want to show up in your best suit, only to discover that jeans and concert T-shirts are the standard company attire.
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What Is The History Of This Position
This is an important question to ask during the interview process because if you are offered the job, you will have to work in the environment affected and shaped by your predecessor.
Perhaps this opening was recently created to support company growth. If that is the case, ask a follow-up question about who owned the responsibilities up to this point, and how the duties will be transitioned.
If you are interviewing for a position left vacant by someone’s departure, get a sense for what happened. Why did the predecessor leave the job? Was he or she promoted or internally transferred? If the predecessor left the company, ask about the circumstances.
On the same note, it is usually fair game to clarify whether the company is considering internal candidates for the position.
Interviews Aren’t Just About Giving The Right Answersthey’re About Asking The Right Questions
Ask insightful, thorough questions to your potential employer.
The landscape for job seekers today can be difficult. In other words, if you want a job today, the hard work starts when you prepare for the interview. That means not just nailing the interview questions you are asked, but actually knowing which questions to ask in an interview so that you leave a strong impression on hiring managers. After all, youre reviewing them as much as theyre reviewing you. The right questions to ask during an interview are the ones that will not only elicit important information, but will also reflect positively on you as a candidate.
Heres the thing: Rattling off a list of haphazard queries wont get you much attention. You need to come up with good questions to ask in an interview, ones that make the people in the room sit up and take notice. Your questions must demonstrate that you did your homework on the job itself, have a set of values that are shared with the company, and understand where the industry is headed. Bonus: These questions could also help you avoid a bad boss before it’s too late.
Your goal is to make a statement in the form of a question. The statement is designed to:
- Highlight your qualifications.
- Understand the employers challenges.
- Make yourself accountable.
- Advance your candidacy.
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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.
