What Interview Questions Should I Ask?

Always ask questions.

It shows that you have thought about the position and their business.  When thinking of questions to ask, think about the Job Description, the company and the industry.

It is a good idea to write questions down in a notebook.

Even if you have a good memory the pressure of an interview may mean you forget what you wanted to ask. Have the book beside you so you don’t need to go fishing in your handbag.

If they have answered most of your pre prepared questions then say so, but make sure you ask a couple more.

Research

Doing your research means you will be able to ask their views on, say, the launch of a competitor product or the recent acquisition of new stores.

Ask about their plans for growth and how that will impact on your department?

How do the relevant departments interact with each other?

How would the Interviewer describe the culture of the organisation?

Use these questions to illustrate that you have done some research here. For example

“I see from your website that you have a mentoring and development programme. How does that work?”.

Questions should show an interest in the company as well as the role applied for. It illustrates to them that you are serious about joining their organisation.

Questions also give you a chance to ask role specific questions that will help you to decide whether you want to join them. After all, you are the sort of candidate who has lots to offer and will be an asset to any company so why should you join theirs?

Ask why the position is available. When did the last person leave?

They may have been searching for their ideal candidate for some time. If there is pressure to fill the role and you impress them, even though you may not be 100% of what they’re looking for, your 80% will be looking good.

Each role within an organisation will have KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators) . These are a measure of judging how well an employee is performing against certain standards. For instance, a telesales rep may need to make a certain number of sales calls per day. This would be a KPI.

Ask how success in the role you are applying for is measured and what are the time scales for achieving that success, that KPI?

What training and support will you be given in order to achieve these goals?

How does this job fit into the structure of the department or company?

You need to feel happy and comfortable with how the interviewer approaches and answers your questions. That sinking feeling probably means this job is not for you.

Most importantly of all, ask whether there is anything they are unclear about or if they have any concerns. Ask whether you are the sort of person they are looking for and if the interviewer will be putting you forward to the next stage. 

Don’t be shy. Don’t worry about seeming too pushy. If they do have any concerns this is your chance to address them rather than leaving them in any doubt about your suitability for the role. They may have the wrong impression of a particular area of your expertise and you can put that right here.  A “Yes, I will be putting you through to the next stage” is great to hear and a “No” means at least you have the chance to ask why, counter the objections and try to turn things round. It is far better to know where you stand when you leave the room rather than having days of waiting and wondering.