Good questions to ask at an Interview

You get it in every interview across the globe, “Do you have any questions for us?”. The important thing is to be prepared with a list of questions that you can ask a potential employer. Below we have collated some of our suggested top interview questions.

How do you support the team to grow professionally?

This can give you an idea of the employers training programme and also how the personal development of the employees is managed. You can then follow this questions around the training plan for the role that you are interviewing for.

How do you evaluate success here?

This can give you an idea of what the company's KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) are for the role and the company as a whole. Everyone likes to work to a goal and it is important that a company has these in place or has thought about them for the position that you are interviewing for.

What qualities make a good candidate for this position?

A fantastic question to ensure you have the right qualities, you can then relate the qualities back to your own professional experience further on in the conversation.

What would you like to see me accomplishing within the first month/three months in the role?

This allows the employer to set out their base level expectations for you should you be the successful applicant. It also give you a chance to assess if the employer has realistic expectations and will give you an idea of the day-to-day role responsibilities.

What are the biggest challenges facing the company at the moment?

This gives you an idea of how the company is operating at the moment. If their biggest challenge is capacity then do they have expansion plans? If their biggest challenge is too much work and not enough staff then are they looking for additional staff to support the deficit?

What is the working environment and culture of the company like?

If you enjoy working in a busy and vibrant environment then a working environment that is very quiet and isolated may not be right for you. Ensure that the culture and environment really can work for you.

How have you progressed within the company?

This helps you to build rapport with the interviewer. Most people love to talk about themselves and their successes so a question like this can ensure that the employer see’s you as a potential work colleague. In addition, you can get an idea of whether the company likes to promote from their current talent pool and how progression looks within the company.

What are the next steps in the interview process?

You need to get an idea of the timeline of the entire process, especially if you have multiple interviews to attend. Some interview process can be extensive with multiple interviews and assessments to attend so a good understanding is essential.

Is there anything that you would like me to elaborate on to support my application for this role?

Give the employer a final chance to ask any questions that may have come to them during your question section. There is nothing worse that the employer having unanswered questions which could have easily been addressed at this stage.

Finally, enjoy the process, an interview is a two way street. You need to ensure that the opportunity can offer everything you need out of a role whether it be the salary, progression opportunities, status or environment for example. This part of the interview is your chance to make sure you get the information to make an informed judgement about accepting the opportunity presented to you.

WHAT NOT TO ASK DURING AN INTERVIEW 

During an interview there are a few questions that it is not advisable to ask as it is either inappropriate or shows a lack of understanding of the role you are interviewing for.

What does your company do?

This shows a distinct lack of preparation for the interview. This is something you should already know in depth, even at the application process for the role that you are interviewing for.

Me questions – salary, holidays, hours of work, benefits etc.

Anything that concerns the package or benefits on offer should really be left for a HR conversation or with your Recruitment Consultant. It suggests that you tend to be focused on the more material aspects of the role and that you may not be interviewing for the right reasons. Everyone would love to be paid more in their role but this is not what the employer is currently interviewing you for. They are assessing you to see if you have the right skills and personality fit to enhance their company, salary and benefits can be discussed later if they agree that you are the right person for their company.

Avoid asking closed questions – yes or no answers

Closed questions can make your questions to the employer quite awkward and short and does not build rapport with the employer. Instead think about using open questions such as; “what are the biggest challenges facing the company at the moment?”. This enables you to open up a more in depth conversation about your skills and the company as a whole.

Did I get the job?

Whilst this may seem like a cheeky close, not every potential employer is going to enjoy being put on the spot and it is highly unlikely that they will make the decision immediately. It can also backfire as they may see you as a confrontational candidate rather than being assertive. Instead consider asking, “when should I expect to hear back?” to gain an idea of a timeline for a decision.