Asking questions at the end of an interview can seem like a daunting prospect, especially if you’ve been in the room for the past 30+ minutes. All bases seem like they are covered, and you feel you have shown off yourself as best as you can. But an interview is not just for the employer. It is a two-way system allowing the interviewee to ask any questions they deem necessary to learn more about the company and role, information that may influence your decision on a job offer.
Why ask questions?
Asking questions shows that you are interested in the role and the company. It shows you have genuine intent and want to extract all information to make an informed decision. Someone who has not taken the time to develop questions would be deemed as uninterested and some employers will immediately decline a candidate’s application if they have not asked questions.
It also shows you have researched the organisation. However, you must be careful in your approach. If you ask a recruitment agency what industries they recruit for, it shows you have not done your research as this information would be easy to find. A better question would be ‘I see you don’t recruit for education, is there a reason for this?’. This shows you have explored the organisation and want to go into more detail – extracting all information!
Most importantly, through well-researched questions you can show off your intelligence. Intelligent questions can show the hiring manager that you think outside the box and would be capable of thinking independently. A hiring manager wants someone who can take the organisations policies and procedures and apply them to any working situation.
10 GOOD QUESTIONS TO ASK:
- Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this job?
- What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
- What is the typical career path for someone in this role?
- How can I help the company achieve its goals?
- How would you describe the company’s culture?
- What have past employees done to succeed in this position?
- How do you see this company/industry evolving in the next 5 to 10 years?
- What’s been your best memory at [company]
- What are the next steps? What is your timeline for making a decision and when should I expect to hear back from you?
- Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?
