The questions candidates must ask during a job interview

The questions candidates must ask during a job interview

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QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE JOB

Before setting off on your job search, make a list of the types of companies you’re interested in. – Is this a place you see yourself thriving in? – Do you believe in the mission? – Why do you want to work at this place? – What attracts you about the organization?

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QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE JOB

Oftentimes, our current situations dictate how we go about making our next move.  Perhaps you’re working in an environment that you find suffocating and want out, or you’re seeking more responsibilities, or are looking to become a people manager. Whatever the case, be sure to keep in mind that in every new workplace, there will be pros 

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QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF BEFORE APPLYING FOR THE JOB

and cons, no matter the salary or job description. So be cognizant of all the aspects of a new role that are truly important to you; also, be mindful of what your personal dealbreakers are.

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PREPARE A LIST OF STRATEGICALLY PLANNED QUESTIONS

Culture questions: Rather than asking, “What’s the culture like here,” ask something along the lines of, “Can you share a time when the company’s culture made you excited to work here or helped you during a challenging time?”  This bypasses a typical answer like “It’s collaborative,” and dives into the intersection of employees and culture, 

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PREPARE A LIST OF STRATEGICALLY PLANNED QUESTIONS

offering an in-depth look into a specific, and perhaps relatable, scenario. Personal experience questions: Instead of “How do you like working here?” try, “I noticed you left X company for this one. What convinced you to make the jump?” This reframing achieves two things: It shows the interviewer you did your research and gives you insight 

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PREPARE A LIST OF STRATEGICALLY PLANNED QUESTIONS

into their decision-making, which may help you make your own. Company growth questions: A question like, “I noticed the company is growing rapidly. Do you expect that to continue?” will often bear a generic, dead-end answer. To get additional, more useful information, put a spin on it. Ask something like, “I noticed the company is 

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PREPARE A LIST OF STRATEGICALLY PLANNED QUESTIONS

expanding rapidly. Is this putting a strain on your customer service team?”  Getting information on a company’s financials is not particularly difficult, especially if it is already publicly traded. But asking a question of this nature is especially useful if you are interviewing for a role like Customer Success Manager, as it allows you to 

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PREPARE A LIST OF STRATEGICALLY PLANNED QUESTIONS

get a better sense of how growth impacts the day-to-day of the team.

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ASK TOUGH BUT FAIR HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

– Why is this position available? This can give you some insight into the way things are handled at the company. Was someone fired? Are they unable to keep the position filled because of the workload? – What makes it a great day at work, and what makes it a challenging day? Answers to this question can vary 

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ASK TOUGH BUT FAIR HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

depending on the personal experience of the interviewer, but it’s good to get a sense of how they approach the question. – How are criticism and feedback handled within the team? Mistakes can happen, and knowing that managers on the team can handle employee errors with grace will offer a sense of relief rather than 

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ASK TOUGH BUT FAIR HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

unnecessary conflict when they do occur. – Do you have any Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)? How do they support the company’s DEI plans? This question gives you an opportunity to understand where the company stands in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and how well they support the objectives of ERGs, as well 

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ASK TOUGH BUT FAIR HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

as pushing forward their higher-level strategy. – How does the company approach salary differences? This can highlight whether the company pays people differently based on location, if they work remotely, in-office, or hybrid. It can also shed light on whether the company has done a pay audit to achieve equity, especially for women and 

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ASK TOUGH BUT FAIR HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

underrepresented groups. – What’s the company’s approach to supporting work-life balance? Many companies have put forth specific benefits and incentives to support employees in the past two years, including mental health initiatives, fitness classes, therapy, and flexibility.  This critical question will help you determine just how the

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ASK TOUGH BUT FAIR HIGH-LEVEL QUESTIONS

company views employees as individuals and not just by their work output.

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WRAP UP THE INTERVIEW WITH THESE KEY QUESTIONS

Am I a good fit for this company? The feeling needs to be mutual. Be sure to determine whether your skills, interests, personality, and goals align with the direction of the company. What are the expected deliverables for this role over the next three months to a year? Depending on the role of the person you are 

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WRAP UP THE INTERVIEW WITH THESE KEY QUESTIONS

interviewing with, you may get different answers. This is a good question to ask to get a sense of the priorities as it relates to different stakeholders. How will we both know that I have succeeded in this role? This is another question in which the answers may vary, but it will be helpful for you as a candidate to understand how 

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WRAP UP THE INTERVIEW WITH THESE KEY QUESTIONS

to work toward specific goals and measure your own impact so that, when it comes time for a raise or promotion in the future, you have the evidence to back it up. What are the growth opportunities in this role, and what important skills will I learn? It’s not enough to make a lateral move. You need to know how will working for

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WRAP UP THE INTERVIEW WITH THESE KEY QUESTIONS

this company enable you to grow and thrive. Who will I become? Your environment and the people you work with will directly influence your work output, ethic, and your future values. Asking questions about the kind of people you will interact with regularly will help you get a sense of what your day-to-day experiences will look like.

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