Are There Reservations About My Fit For The Role That I Can Address
While this question is essentially asking for criticism, it’s likely the hiring manager will speak positively about you and your expertise to spin your critique in a more positive light. This is a great question to ask when you want to gauge what they think of you and have the opportunity to change their mind about your qualifications and fit for the role.
Questions About The Position
1. How will you measure the success of the person in this position?
This gets right to the crux of what you need to know about the job: What does it mean to do well, and what will you need to achieve in order for the manager to be happy with your performance?
You might figure that the job description already laid this out, but its not uncommon for a job description to be the same one an employer has been using for the last ten years, even if the job changed significantly during that time. Companies often post job descriptions that primarily use boilerplate language from HR, while the actual manager has very different ideas about whats most important in the role. Also, frankly, most employers just suck at writing job descriptions , so its useful to have a conversation about what the role is really about. You might find out that while the job posting listed 12 different responsibilities, your success in fact just hinges on 2 of them, or that the posting dramatically understated the importance of 1 of them, or that the hiring manager is battling with her own boss about expectations for the role, or even that the manager has no idea what success would look like in the job .
2. What are some of the challenges you expect the person in this position to face?
3. Can you describe a typical day or week in the job?
4. How long did the previous person in the role hold the position? What has turnover in the role generally been like?
What Does Your Company Do For Team Building Or Fun
Employees that enjoy working together often spend time together during their breaks or outside work. Ask if there are company recreational sports teams or celebrations for major accomplishments. You can also ask about holiday parties or other annual celebrations.
How a company rewards its employees says a lot about it. You can learn a lot about the culture and get an idea of how invested your employer is in team welfare.
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Learn About The Employer
Familiarize yourself with the employer before your interview by reading their Handshake page, company website, and searching for recent news online. Avoid asking questions about things that are readily available online, and show the interviewer that youve done your homework.
- What are the most important company values?
- What are the biggest goals for the company?
- How does this team/role contribute to the company goals?
- What excites you most about the companys future?
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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How Is The Feedback Process Structured
Asking this question in an interview has been critical for me as a candidate. Performance feedback is how humans get better. Excellence and mastery have always been important to me, and I am aware that they are impossible without knowing how and when to ask for regular feedback. Does this company limit its feedback cycle to the annual reviews? Does the hiring manager make it a priority to deliver just-in-time acknowledgment and suggestions for improvement?
Outside My Team With Which Parts Of The Organization Will I Work Most Closely
This question shows the interviewer you want to know how your job fits into the grand scheme of the organization. Working well with other parts of the organization is critical to your productivity, the teams performance and the organizations success. Knowing these people can give you a starting point for your networking once youre on the job.
You can find out this information when you begin work, but asking about it in the interview shows you are already thinking about how to integrate yourself into the broader structure of the organization. You want to know where you fit in the big picture so you can maximize your impact on the organization.
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Unique Interview Questions To Ask An Employer
My how the tables have turned
Asking questions during an interview can make or break the outcome. Interview coach Tazeen Raza says, Asking questions is a great way to show you did your research. Employers want people who are go-getters and dont require tons of direction. Show that youre interested in this company and role specifically, and that this isnt just one of many positions youve applied to.
Raza suggests holding off on questions about vacation days and benefitsthats a topic best reserved for HR and should be asked later on when negotiating an offer.
Background And Work Experience Interview Questions
Here, we get into the more traditional interview questions, where youll get into the nitty-gritty about what makes this person qualified to perform the tasks at hand.
In a sense, these should be the easier questions as they should demonstrate clearly whether or not the job candidate has the necessary skill set you are looking for.
Be sure to ask enough questions that you get a well-rounded view of their skills, and provide opportunities for them to show you their aptitude. Most of these questions will require tailoring, depending on the position you are hiring for.
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Why Are These Good Questions To Ask In An Interview
You need to be clear on what sort of expectations the manager has and whether they suit you. Your time at the company will be spent working for a specific manager, it is important that you find out what this involves and that you are comfortable with it.
This is also an opportunity to find out about the team or department the position falls within.
You’ve Been At This Company For While What Keeps You Motivated
If your interviewer has been at the company for several years, understanding why could give you some really interesting insight into the company, how it treats its employees, and a taste of what motivates the people who work there. Plus, it shows you’ve done your research on the interviewer, which is always an impressive sign.
How It Helps You
Depending on the interviewer’s answer, you might learn something about the company’s career training, leadership opportunities, workplace flexibility, internal job opportunities, and more. You might dig a little deeper by following up with related questions, like, “What do you enjoy most about working here?”
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Why Asking Questions During An Interview Is Important
Asking the hiring manager questions during an interview is important because it helps you learn about the job, establishes your interest in the position and shows your intelligence and creativity.
Interviews help you and the company determine if you would be a good fit for their position. During an interview, ask questions that will help you decide if you would enjoy the job and work well with their team. When you ask questions, the interviewer can see that you’ve thought about the position and done research into their company. This shows the interviewer that you are a serious, dedicated candidate with enthusiasm for the position.
Asking thoughtful and unique questions about the company and job also allows you to showcase your intelligence and ability to think independently, and it makes you a more active participant in the interview.
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What Are The Next Steps In The Interview Process And When Can I Expect To Hear Back
While not as creative as some of the questions above this is a strong question to ask an interviewer because it shows that youre organized and interested in the role.
This question will also give you insight into what to expect after the interview ends, so youll be less anxious while waiting for feedback.
Youll know how long to wait after the interview, and youll be ready to follow up by email if you havent heard back in the timeframe provided.
For these reasons, I recommend asking this question at the end of all your job interviews.
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Why Did You Say Yes When The Position You Hold Now Was Offered To You
Its nice to ask at least one question to learn about the interviewer and their personal experience at the company.
Everyone likes to talk about themselves, so most interviewers will be happy to share their experiences here.
Also, since this is an opinion-based question, you can ask the same question to multiple people in the company.
If you meet with three employees from a company, you can ask all three about this topic without looking bad in the interview.
You should go into each interview with at least one opinion-based question like this, so you know you wont run out of things to ask . And always make sure its a creative question like the one above so you stand out.
What Behaviors Do The People Who Struggle Most On The Team Exhibit
Follow question #9 with this question, and you’ll show the hiring manager that you’re really trying to get a concrete idea of what to do and what not to do as an employee on the specific team you’re applying to join, says Fernandez. And while this question can make a manager uncomfortable, it’s impressive because it shows that the candidate is not afraid to ask tough questions.
How It Helps You
First, you’ll get an idea of what poor performance looks like, which will help you set expectations for the position. Second, you’ll learn how the hiring manager handles a tough question like this — which can teach you something about how office politics are handled in general.
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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
I Saw : : : : : On Your Website Can You Tell Me More About That
One of the best ways to prepare for a government job interview is to review the organizations website. Some of the information will be easy to understand, and some of it may be so technical no one outside the organization or the organizations contractors understand it. When you see something, you partially understand, make a note of it. It may be something you can ask about in the interview.
The information you can understand portrays the organization in a positive light. Even if the organization has settled a lawsuit to pay millions of dollars to a plaintiff, the organizations website will say how the organization is proactively resolving the problem and is working in the best interest of those impacted by whatever wrong was done to them.
Asking about the information on the organizations website shows the interviewer you did some basic research. You could ask something more insightful than merely asking for an explanation, but that isnt necessary. If you have the background to ask something deeper, do so, but if you do not have such a background, stick to an explanatory question.
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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.
How Do I Compare To Other Candidates Interviewing For This Position
Consider asking this question to gauge how well you’re doing in the interview process. It will also help you address any reservations or concerns they have about meeting the job’s qualifications. Based on their answer, you can assure them that you’re the right fit for the role and ease any worries or issues they may have.
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What Are The Top 5 Questions To Ask
Well they should be different for each candidate depending on the situation, but here are 5 great ones:1. Can you tell me exactly what I would be expected to do if I was hired for this position?2. Can you walk me through a typical day here at Company X?3. Can you tell me what you love the most about working here?4. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful or questions I can answer?5. What are the next steps in the interview process?
Interview Questions About The Job Position:
- What prompted you to hire for this job role?
- How long has the position been open?
- What was the individual like who previously held this position?
- Are you looking to hire someone with the skills and experiences to do the job out of the gate, or are you open to hiring and training the right candidate for this position?
- How are goals and objectives set for this job role?
- If hired, what would be the top three priorities you’d like me to focus on in the coming year?
- What traits does the perfect candidate for this job position possess?
- What can you tell me about the position that isn’t listed in the job post?
- What do you believe is the main reason someone could fail in this position?
- I’ve worked with larger corporations in the past . That being the case, do you think I’ll be successful with an organization such as yours?
- What is the work schedule like? Is it flexible, set-in-stone, or are there options?
- Do you have any reservations about my qualifications?
- What is a typical day, week, or month like for someone within this position?
- What is the toughest time of the month or year for someone in this position?
- How can I grow in this job role?
- In an ideal world, what’s the anticipated start date for this position?
- What’s the timeline for making a decision on this job position? When would be a good time for me to follow-up with you?
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Can You Tell Me More About The Day
Asking this question enables you to learn as much about the role as possible. The interviewer’s response will provide insight into what skills and experience are needed, and will also help you decide if the role is right for you.
The answer will give you an idea of what the employer’s expectations are, so if you’re offered the job there should be no surprises when you start.
Where Do People Usually Eat Lunch
Do they take the time to go out? Do people bring lunch but eat in groups? Do folks normally eat at their desks because they’re too busy to socialize? Asking this question serves as a great way to find out a little bit about the company culture. Plus, this is a more lighthearted question that might relax a stiffened atmosphere or lead to a conversation about shared interests.
How It Helps You
Along with learning about company culture, it doesn’t hurt to get a few good lunch suggestions for the future.
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How Long Has The Job Been Open And Where Are You Currently In The Hiring Process
This is one of my favorite questions for an interviewer because it will provide you with valuable information about the hiring process and situation behind the scenes.
This can help you know what to expect as the process continues, and its also an original question that most candidates arent asking, so youll stand out in the interview.
Work Experience Questions To Ask Job Candidates:
- What types of jobs have you held in the past?
- What was your title at your current/previous/last job?
- What were your duties in that position?
- What did you like most/least about the position?
- Why are you leaving your present employer?
- Whats the most important thing you learned in school and/or at your last job?
- Why did you choose your major?
- If selected for this position, can you describe your strategy for the first 90 days?
- What is your understanding of the skills necessary to perform this job?
- What special training have you completed that qualifies you for this job?
- What certifications do you hold?
- Can you describe how to _____________ ?
- This job requires the ability to _____________ . Can you give me an example of a time that you have had to _____________ ?
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