In our last blog '5 Tips for Interview Preparation' we promised you more on this topic! As an experienced interviewer and HR professional, I've always been disappointed when candidates wind up an interview with "no, I've no questions for you - thank you for your time" - I'm left feeling disappointed and still without a deep understanding of whether the person is a good fit for the role. Candidates who are connected with the role and demonstrate that they have done their homework in pre interview research always score better in my books!
Below are 8 key questions that I recommend for asking at interview! I've explained my rationale for each in the right hand column below. If you like it, please leave a comment and forward a link on to your friends!
We cover this and much more in our Interview Skills & Preparation course - contact us for more information!
1. “Do we have some time for some questions I have prepared, to help me get a better understanding of this role?”
Asking permission to ask question is a polite way of asserting yourself and ensures that the interviewer remains in ‘perceived control’ which is all important from a positive influencing perspective.
Asking this question shows that you have researched and thought about this particular role and that you are already connected and tuned into the organisation and role.
2. “What is the size and structure of the team I would be working on?”
Asking questions about the team structure and size shows that you’ve thought about it and that you’re taking a considered approach to finding the right role for you. It also demonstrates your broad outlook to the interviewer and gets them imagining where YOU would fit into the team – soliciting a response to this question helps create an image of you being part of the team for the interviewer – very useful if your interviewer is a visual type.
From your perspective, this will help you understand if it is a team of 10 or 50 and where you would fit into the overall structure – you should have a good idea about which size and structure type you like to work in and which is best suited to your working style.
3. “What would this role typically look like ‘on the ground’ – could you give me the typical objectives that might be set for this person?”
Although you may be interviewing for a role that has the same title as your previous/current job, duties and responsibilities can vary greatly from organisation to organisation.
Asking this question demonstrates a balanced and intuitive approach and shows the interviewer that you are genuinely keen and interested to know more about the role – positive!
From your perspective, the answer to this question will help you validate that this is the right role (level and scope) that you are seeking.
4. “It seems like a really great place to work and everybody seems very friendly! What’s the feeling like in the group?”
Asking a question about group morale is useful – for you it helps you get a better sense of what the team’s like – for the interviewer it is another example of how keen and eager you are to get to know the job and team better!
Answers to this question can shed a lot of light on dynamic and morale within an org / team – watch out for body language of the interviewer here – is this the team from hell?!?
Some people follow on this question with a question about turnover – “Is there much turnover in the team” – this is useful in ascertaining if people are leaving regularly, if they are, why is that???
5. “How has [recent political event] affected this organisation? Do you think there is any future impact for the business?”
If there has been a topical event which you feel is an obvious event to comment on, bring up a question on it! However, avoid scandals and tabloid stories here.
Types of events to comment on would include;
- Recent rationalisations (redundancies etc.)
- Industry legislation changes
- Nationalisation of banks (if Financial Services)
6. “I enjoy [autonomy/independence/clear guidelines] in my role, do you feel that this role could afford me that?”
Asking this question highlights your working style and preference directly and demonstrates to the interviewer that you are sensible about finding a role that you will flourish in. This will also give you clear indicators about whether the environment is the right one for you to succeed in.
7. “Are there opportunities to develop further with training and promotion here?”
This question is asked often but will give you a sense of whether you can grow and commit to a long term role if successful at interview. It also demonstrates ambition and balanced approach to the interviewer and minimises the risks for them of hiring a candidate who leaves 12 months down the line – remember there are costs in hiring staff so interviewers want to find a candidate that will fit the organisation at least for the medium term.
Obviously if you are interviewing for a temp/contract role this question probably won’t be relevant although asking about the potential of opportunities that are full time / permanent if you deliver excellence might be interesting for you. A word of warning in this instance though – don’t ask more than 1 question on this topic if it is a contract/temp role as this may deter interviewers from hiring you – if they believe you’re really seeking full-time & permanent positions.
8. “When are you hoping for this person to come on board? Will there be another stage or round to the hiring process?”
This question shows determinism and eagerness to begin working with the organisation. It also helps you prepare for a 2nd round of interviews if necessary and/or a 2 week wait before you know whether you’ve been successful.