It’s that time during the interview process. It’s now your turn to ask your interviewer questions, and you may be fumbling to figure out what best inquiries to make.
In most interviews, if not all of them, your interviewer will expect you to have inquiries.
Aside from having your resume and being prepared to answer your interviewer’s questions, you should also have a list of questions to ask. These will help you assess the culture and expectations of your employer. At the same time, you will be able to highlight your skills, qualities and experience even further. Many employers are actually impressed by candidates who ask pertinent questions about the job, department and company at large.
[Related: 10 mental hacks to prepare for a successful interview]
As a matter of fact, not having any inquiries may make you look incompetent, or worse, unprepared. Plan ahead by bring with you a list of questions you can potentially ask your potential employer. This is not about overwhelming the interviewer with endless queries. Rather, you want to use these as a tool to determine if the company is a good fit for you, and present the many benefits you can bring to the company.
Having had my share of interviews, I’ve learnt early on that asking the right questions can make the difference between getting the job and missing the opportunity. Here are 52 suggested questions you should consider asking to ace the interview and assess your potential future job in the following categories:
About the Job and Expected Performance:
- What is expected of someone who would be in this position?
- What would you say are the responsibilities of this position?
- What is a typical day in this position?
- Who does this position report to?
- How many people work in this group/department?
- Is travel expected? If so, how much?
- Does the position require relocation?
- What are the typical work hours?
- What are the opportunities for growth/advancement?
- What are the biggest challenges of this job?
- Is there an on-boarding program? Could you please tell me about it?
- What are the most important tasks I should be focusing on during my first 90 days?
- What background would you say is best suited for this position?
- Is this a newly created position, or did the previous employee move on?
- Do you expect the requirements of this position to change in the next 6-12 months?
- Would I be working with a certain budget? If so, what type of budget?
- What are the most urgent projects I would need to address in this role should I get hired?
- Could you show me examples of projects I’d be working on if I were hired?
- What is the performance review process like?
- What metrics and goals will I be evaluated against?
About the Interviewer:
- How long have you been working in the company/department?
- How has your role changed/evolved over the years?
- Why did you decide to start working here?
- What do you like about your job in this department and company?
- What would you say are aspects that can be improved about this position and/or department/company?
About the Team:
- What can you tell me about the team I’ll be a part of?
- What are the team’s biggest strengths?
- What challenges is the team facing?
- How is the team expected to change in the next months? Do you expect to hire more people?
- Which other departments does this team work with?
About the Culture:
- How would you describe the culture of this company/department?
- What would you say are the company’s most important values?
- Would you say the work is usually more collaborative or independent?
- What are the typical team events that take place?
- Do you have a favorite office tradition here?
- What does the team usually do for lunch?
- What company events typically take place during the year? Are these joint events with other groups, departments or companies?
About the Company:
- I’ve read about the company, but could you please tell me about [pick a recent event or particular characteristic you’d like to discuss]
- What major changes have occurred at the company in the recent years?
- How is the company planning to grow and develop in the coming months and years?
- How would you describe the biggest rewards for working at this company?
- Where do you see this company in the next 5 years?
- What are you most excited about the company’s future?
About Professional Development Opportunities:
- What training programs are available in my position?
- Would I be able to attend training events and industry conferences on behalf of the company?
- If this is not a new position, where have previous employees who held this position progressed to?
About next steps to follow:
47.Is there anything you’re concerned about in terms of my background and experience?
48.What are the next steps in the interview process?
49.Would you like me to provide you with a list of references?
50.When can I expect to be hearing from you?
51.If I’m offered the job, how soon would I be expected to start?
52.Are there any other questions I can answer for you?
What else would you add to this list?
To Your Success,
The Corporate Sis.
This is a great list of questions. I’d also ask, if you’re replacing someone or if this is a new position. If you’re replacing someone, what happened to the employee that you’re replacing? Did they leave, get fried, get promoted? It would be nice to get a perspective of whose shoes you’ll be filling and if they left any messes for you to clean up.
A lot of people think an interview is the potential employee in the hot seat, but it’s the opposite, the employee should be interviewing the company. After all they’re going to be the ones trading their time for a check. Ask as many questions as necessary.
I absolute agree, Ashley! An interview really goes both ways. But as women, we often think that we have to accept whatever the company is offering us. Actually in most cases, we have the upper hand and can determine what we want from the company. Thanks for such an important insight!