Best Questions to Ask in an Interview to Impress Employers
Prepping for an interview can almost be like a full-time job – there is so much to do: review the website, look over the job description again, familiarize yourself with what the company actually does, understand the values of the company, the competitors - the list goes on and on. But one of the more important things to do when getting ready for your interview is to review practice questions. “Why are you interested in working with us and why specifically this particular role?” is one of the most commonly asked questions. There are plenty of websites out there with lists of behavioral questions that you can go over to prep yourself for the big day. However, one of the many common mistakes you can make is not asking (the right) questions at the end when it’s your turn to do the interviewing.
Writing this as a recruiter, and as a former career advisor, I’ve come to learn that hiring managers, and anyone involved in the interview/hiring process, want to be asked questions at the end – good, thoughtful questions, that is. In my experience, when candidates don’t do that, it’s an automatic red flag. Time and time I’ve heard “well they didn’t ask me anything” or “he only asked about PTO.” Questions like this don’t show the company that you’re truly interested in them – it shows a lack of research and honestly, that you haven’t given much thought as to why you want to work there. And that will never get you the job. Instead, you should prepare well thought-out questions, questions that show the hiring committee that you are truly interested in learning more about the company because you see yourself there, and not just basic ones to fill up time. So, I’m with the hiring managers when I say – get your questions ready!
Questions to Impress
Below you’ll find a list of questions that will show the hiring committee that you have properly prepared for this interview, and that you have a genuine interest in learning more about the role and company itself.
What is one project this role will be working on when someone is hired?
What are the 30/60/90-day goals for the person who fills this role?
What is one challenge you see for the person who is hired for this role?
What will a typical day-to-day look like for me should I be hired?
Where do you see the company in the next 5 years?
What is the culture like here?
Can you tell me more about the team I’ll be working with?
What types of (computer) programs will I be using? MS Office? SQL? Etc.
What attributes does someone need to have in order to be successful in this role?
Is this a new role or will I be replacing someone?
Do you expect the responsibilities for this role to change in the next 6-12 months?
What does the onboarding process look like?
How will my performance be evaluated?
What is an immediate project that needs to be completed when I first start?
Are there opportunities for collaboration with other members of the team/departments?
Are there opportunities for advancement in this role?
What’s your favorite part about working here?
What are the company’s most important values?
Who will I report to? Will anyone report to me?
Is there anything else I can provide you that will be helpful?
Of course, there are so many more questions that you can ask, but making sure the questions pertain to the role/company is key. Make sure you prepare for your interview – and using these questions as a guide will be valuable (and might even help you land the job!).
Meet the Author
Kevin Haines
Senior Talent Consultant, Talent Solutions
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