5 Questions to Ask During the Interview
You’ve updated your resume, you’ve received an interview appointment, you’ve researched the company on the internet, and now the interview is almost over and the Interviewer asks: “Do you have any questions for me”? If you say No to that question you are missing out on a great opportunity to learn more about the job and whether or not this is the opening for you!
Next time consider asking the following questions:
1. Is this a newly created position or are you replacing someone? You want to know why there is a vacancy. It’s a good sign if the person was promoted and a not so good sign if they “didn’t work out.”
2. What strengths do you believe a successful person in this position should have? With this information you will be able to include some of those strengths at the end of the interview during your final wrap-up.
3. What are some of the challenges in this position? Most jobs have some things that call for certain tolerance levels, i.e., workload, schedule constraints, etc. Be prepared — the Interviewer may turn this question back to you and ask you directly how you would handle those challenges.
4. Can you describe a typical day? This question can be interchanged with the previous question as usually the answer about challenges may include a description of a typical day and vice versa.
5. When do you plan to make a decision about this position? By understanding the recruitment timeline you’ll have a better idea of when you can expect to hear from them. This information is usually offered but if they don’t mention it you can ask.
There is nothing worse than asking a question that has already been answered. Your questions could work against you if you’re not paying attention.
Remember not to go overboard with the questions, gauge your interviewers and the time you have available. They have probably allowed only so much time for each candidate. If they don’t ask you about asking questions, ask them if you can ask a few questions. Move through your questions succinctly.
Asking questions allows you to more fully participate in the interview process. The questions listed here are examples to get you thinking about questions you may want to formulate. Be brief, relative, and relax!
Vitaly Golyakov