The Top Questions to Ask at a Job Interview

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Why is Asking Questions at an Interview Important?

I have interviewed hundreds of people over the course of my career for a variety of roles.  One main mistake I see applicants make time after time is not asking the right questions at the interview. I’m going to show you not only why asking questions is important but what the top questions to ask at a job interview are.

One common misconception about interviews is that they are all about the company getting to know the applicant. However, the interview process is just as much about the applicant getting to know the company as the company getting to know the applicant. It needs to be a good fit for both sides.

The interviewing process is a lot like dating. Throughout the interviewing process, you and the company are learning about each other, analyzing each other’s actions, and deciding whether you want to take the next step and commit to one another.   To make that decision you both need to learn and feel comfortable taking that next step.   One-sided relationships never work out.

Asking questions at an interview also shows that you prepared and demonstrates professionalism.  By researching the company and preparing thoughtful questions, you show that you took the extra step and are diligent. That extra effort will be noticed and appreciated by the interviewer.

And finally, another very important reason why asking questions in the interview, is that it demonstrates confidence.  It’s always a red flag when a candidate doesn’t ask questions. To be honest, it seems a bit desperate. As an interviewer,  I hate when I’m interviewing someone and they don’t come with questions. It gives the impression that they are up for any job that comes their way, which is not a good look when interviewing for a job.   Going back to the dating analogy, desperation never leads to a positive relationship.

So now that we know why it is important to ask questions, let’s look at the top questions to ask at a job interview are.

The Top Questions to Ask at a Job Interviewer

Can you describe the culture here?

Culture is very important when you are trying to find the right job.  In a nutshell, culture is the personality of a company. Is the company uber professional and straight-laced -or- are they laid back and informal. What values and norms do they adhere to?  What is important to the company?  How do employees treat each other?

All of these things will give you insight into whether this would be a good fit for your personality.  If you value and enjoy a super informal environment and doors open approach, you may not do well in a very hierarchal formal setting.

Where do you see the company in 3, 5, 20 years?

This is a very important question to ask at an interview to ask as it gives you a view of where the company is headed.

The first thing you should be looking for is does the interviewer have a clear answer to this question?  Strong companies have strong visions that everyone is aware of.  If they hesitate to answer or don’t have an answer that could indicate that the company doesn’t have a clear vision and mission. If the interviewer is the manager, this could indicate that they aren’t strategic or in tune with the company. Big red flags.

If the interviewer does have a response, you should assess whether it is a vision that you can get behind.  Does their future state excite you or leave you wanting more?  It’s pure magic when you have the opportunity to work for a company and have the opportunity to contribute to a vision that you are aligned with.  Try to see if you can make that happen with the company before you interview.

What does success look like for this role? How would my performance be measured?

These questions will help you assess what the expectations are for the role and how your performance would be measured.

Once you have the answers to these questions you can start to assess whether you are indeed the right fit for the role (sometimes you are not and that is okay). You can also get a feel for the company’s expectations and gauge whether they are realistic.

What skills and traits are needed to be successful in this role?

This question will give you insight into what skillset is required for someone in the role. Once you gain this information, it’s important to think of your skillset and whether you have (or could acquire) what is needed for the role.  You don’t want to set yourself up for failure so if the job requires skills that you just don’t have or don’t enjoy, this may not be the right job for you.

In addition to giving you an idea of what skills are required, it gives you insight into what skills are valued by the interviewer. The interviewer will often cite traits that they value most.   This can be really helpful info for the rest of the interview process as well as if you were to take on the role.

What does a typical day or week look like in this role?

Job descriptions are often vague and don’t often reflect the true nature of the work that you will be doing.  By asking what a typical day looks like you are able to get a better idea of what the role consists of.

Would you be on conference calls all day or be more hands-on?   Do you have flexibility with your schedule?   Is it fast-paced or more relaxed?  You should take this response and see if it matches your preferred work style.

You have to enjoy what you do if you want to be successful.  So you have to ask yourself if you love having a lively and busy environment if you really want to sit in a cubicle all day?   If you prefer quiet time and the opportunity to reflect do you really want to work in a busy and high-paced work environment.  Ask your self, could I  see myself doing this every day for the next 2-3 years. If the answer is no, then keep searching for a role that would excite you.

Can you describe the training and development opportunities here?

If a company doesn’t invest in you, do not work there. It’s as simple as that.

And here’s why… If you invest your time and skills with an employer, they should invest in you. Not only is it good for employee engagement, but it makes good business sense.  A company that doesn’t invest in its greatest resource (it’s employees), it demonstrates that they are short-sighted.   While they may be successful right now,  their viability will start to diminish as their competitors continue to evolve.

When you ask this question, pay close attention to the immediate training that is provided for the role. Smart companies take their time with training and do what they can to set you up for success.  Don’t be afraid to ask for specifics here. How much training is provided?  What type of training is provided?

You should also pay close attention to professional development opportunities.  Do they encourage employees to expand and refine their skillset?  Do they provide training opportunities such as web-based training or reimbursement for professional development courses? These investments make a big difference!

Do you have any concerns or questions about my fit for this role that we can discuss?

If you are still into the job after asking these questions,  ask this question every single time at the end of the interview.

You only have sixty minutes (give or take) to showcase your fit for a role.  That leaves only so many questions that they can ask which means that you won’t have the chance to showcase everything.  Asking this question gives you an opportunity to see if there was anything that was missed during the conversation that you can address.

As an example, once I  had interviewed for a role where a technical competency was required. Through the natural course of the conversation, this skill was never brought up. When I  asked this question at the end fo the interview, the interviewer answered that they wished I had more experience with this competency. I then had the chance to address that and mention that I  did have that competency and how. If I didn’t ask, the interviewer would have left thinking that I didn’t qualify and I  would have never known about it.

Asking this question gives you the chance to address any concerns that they may have. You can talk about how you could overcome a lack of experience of capability.  You are doing yourself a huge disservice not asking this question.

There you have it.  The top questions that you should ask at a job interview. Asking these questions will give you the confidence and knowledge to make an informed career choice.

What are your top questions to ask at an interview?   What are your challenges when asking questions? Leave a comment below to discuss.

 

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