Your opportunity to ask questions during an interview may only come at the end, but it can often be the most important section of any interview. So to make sure you’re asking the right questions, here are 4 fail-safe options.
It’s important to remember that interviews are a two-way street, and are as much about you finding out about the company you’re interviewing with, as they are about the company finding out about you. An interview is an opportunity for both parties to understand if they would be a good fit together, so asking questions about the company at interview stage will help you decide if the vacancy is right for you.
The last thing you want at the end of the interview is to answer ‘no’ to the question ‘Do you have any questions for us?’, so it’s worth your while having a few prepared beforehand. If you’re looking for clarity on the role, what type of person the company is looking for, or what the challenges the job brings, then make sure you get answers to these questions:
What are the main challenges within the role and how would the interviewer like to see these improved?
In any job there are challenges and it’s important that you understand what these are and what the company would expect you to do to help improve them. This could be reducing the debtor list in a credit control vacancy or improving the sales figures for a particular product in a marketing/sales role. Asking this question shows your interviewer that you look at these challenges in a positive manner and will help you understand what’s expected of you.
What are the company’s expectations for the position?
Asking a question like this gives you an insight into how the company sees your role developing with them. If future progression is important for you when making your decision then this question will help you gauge your future opportunities for promotion.
On the flipside, it shows your interviewer that you are thinking long-term about your position in the company and that being successful in the position is important to you.
What type of person does the interviewer see succeeding in the position?
It may seem like the answer to this question will have already been in the job spec for the role, but this is an opportunity to hear firsthand what the company is looking for from the person who will make the ultimate decision. Their answer could be a bio of the skills and abilities they are looking for in a successful candidate or issues they have had with staff who were unsuccessful in the role, either way, this provides you with another opportunity to outline how you match what they’re looking for.
Is there anything you feel I’ve missed or didn’t answer adequately?
There’s nothing worse than walking out of an interview to realise that you’ve forgotten to mention a specific detail or bit of experience that may have helped your chances in securing the job. Asking if there’s anything you’ve missed gives you a final chance to avoid missing that crucial detail. It also means that the interviewer can prompt you to expand on a previous question that they feel they want to hear more from you on.
If you need advice or a helping hand in preparing for an interview or finding your next job, reach out to us on 028 9009 9211. For more Recruitment and Hiring advice, make sure to follow Reactive Recruitment on LinkedIn, Facebook & Twitter.