Many job seekers spend most of their energy worrying about the questions they are going to be asked in an interview, but it’s important to consider what you are going to ask in return. At the end of most interviews, the interviewer will likely ask some variant on whether you have questions for them. Saying you have no questions is a bad idea as it often signals a lack of interest in the position or a lack of preparation.
So what should you ask? There are all manner of questions you can ask based on what you learn in the interview and what you’ve learned about the company as part of your preparation for the interview, but here are some just solid ones. Be prepared to ask more personalized, targeted questions – taking notes during the interview is highly encouraged and can help you come up with questions or concerns that can be addressed right away. Being ready to ask good questions not only shows a deeper interest in the position, but it also gives you a better idea of whether this is a role you actually want. It’s definitely worth doing!
With that in mind, here are 9 great questions to ask your interviewer (and why they are good ones). You can choose a few of these, based on what you know about the company and how the interview goes, in order to deepen your understand of the company and the role, and further integrate yourself as someone who is worth hiring.
- What would you say makes your culture different from others in this industry? (or some variant therein).
Why this works: For you, it will give you a better idea of the company culture. After all, if you’re going to spend 35-40+ a week at this place of business, it behooves you to know what you’re getting into. From the company’s point of view, it shows that you are interested in the day-to-day life.
Red Flags: A focus on superficial perks (snacks, video games, happy hours), vague answers around everyone being a family, a feeling of disconnect between employees, tension.
- What are the biggest challenges the company is facing and how will this role help address them?
Why this works: You’re showing that you’re ready to start solving problems and help move the company forward. Remember that the job post isn’t just a list of wants and needs, it’s also usually a list of things that the company is having a challenging time getting out of their employees. By asking point blank about current challenges and how your role is expected to help fix them, you show that you want to solve issues.
Red Flags: Survival-related challenges such as cash flow or high turnover aren’t things you can probably solve on your own and show a deeper problem, usually on the management side. Growing pains on the other hand like wanting to diversify a customer base or scaling things up are tangible issues that you can have a hand in fixing.
- How does leadership evaluate success other than financial performance?
Why this works: Money is great, but you want to know that your company isn’t going to bottom line and nickel and dime you to death. Do they worry about things like customer satisfaction? Social issues? Environmental issues? Supporting staff? This is a good way to check if their values and your values align.
Red Flag: Anything is wildly out alignment with your values. If you value environmental support and the company doesn’t care about that, you may want to consider whether the role will be a good fit for you.
- What Would be considered an exceptional performance for this role in the first X period of time? (90 days is standard since this is the usual probationary period)
Why this works: It shows that you want to excel and you want to have a clear idea of how best to do that. It also helps to clarify expectations so that you’ll still have a job at the end of the probationary period.
Red Flags: If they seem really vague or unsure of how to answer, this can mean that your role isn’t going to be well defined and that can be very stressful.
- What are the biggest challenges the previous person in this role faced?
Why This Works: Ooh this is a nice Uno reverse on the interviewer asking you about your strengths and weaknesses! See not only are you learning about the issues and troubles previous people had (and can talk about how you would avoid them), but you also get to see any broader difficulties. It might showcase unrealistic expectations, tight resources or other issues that could be a challenge for you to manage as well. It can also give you insight into the company culture: do they seem bitter or angry at the previous person?
Red Flag: Anything goes here really – do they seem really nervous to answer? Do they answer really emotionally? What cracks in the organization are revealed?
- What resources or support would be available for me to succeed?
Why This Works: It’s just good to know what you have access to in terms of training, tools, mentorship, and information. It shows you’re prepared to work and already planning for how you can best utilize those tools.
Red Flag: Vague answers or uncertainty is always a red flag but here it can show a lack of structural support, a lack of finances to provide resources, and a lack of informal or training leadership.
- How does the company support learning and development?
Why This Works: It’s always important to know that a company will invest in its employees and by asking this, you are positioning yourself as someone who intends to be there for a while. It shows commitment as well as a focus on continual learning which is an important employment skill nowadays.
Red Flag: If they don’t offer any professional development, this can show that the company really doesn’t care about their employees’ growth or that they don’t expect you to move up any ladders which can show a comfort with keeping people stagnant.
- Where do you see this company going in the next couple of years?
Why This Works: Another Uno Reverse! And just like interviewers asking where you see yourself in five years, you’re trying to figure out whether the company has a clear vision of its future and a plan for how to get there.
Red Flag: If they seem vague or uncertain this can mean a lack of future planning or even a worry that there won’t be a future for the company.
- Do you have any concerns about my ability to succeed in this role?
Why this work: Bold, but we like it. This question shows confidence and also lets you address any concerns before the interview ends. It also shows self-awareness.
Red Flags: If they have concerns that make it impossible for them to hire you or that you cannot really address, this is obviously a problem. Or if they seem flustered by the question, though who knows: you may have just bowled them over with your self-awareness!
It is definitely worth utilizing that time at the end when the interviewer asks what questions you have for them. It will deepen your understanding of the role, show you are very interested, and show that you did further research on the job and the company. All of this helps to support your pitch that you will be a great hire for them and make it more likely that they will offer you the job.
Good luck!
