Thoughtful Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

Congrats on landing an interview! Now would be a great time to review your resume, research the company and prepare questions for your interviewer. Dedicating time to each of these items will help you stay organized and prepared for the interview. Perhaps the most overlooked part of this preparation are the questions that you, the candidate, get to ask.

While you may be tempted to ask the common questions to your interviewer, consider how you can be more thoughtful and intentional in crafting them. If you fail to do so, you may miss out on an important moment to learn more about the opportunity, express your interest in the role and show that you’ve done your research. Our team of recruiting experts identified the questions below to help you effectively make the most of this time and (hopefully) land the position.

To Learn More About the Role:

While interviews are a great opportunity for a potential employer to learn more about your skills and abilities, keep in mind that this is also an excellent time for you to get additional information about the role and clear up any questions you have. Consider asking the following to make sure that you have a full understanding of what the position entails.

What do the daily responsibilities of the role look like?

Who will I be closely working with?

What are the prospects for growth and development?

Beyond the skills mentioned in the job description, what do you think are important abilities/attributes for working in the position and for this company?

To Demonstrate Your Eagerness to Succeed:

Beyond gathering information about the position and company, you’ll also want to utilize this time to display your abilities and work ethic. The questions below will help you show your interest in the role and that you are ready to hit the ground running.

What advice would you give to the person who gets hired into this role?

What are the characteristics of an employee that would be successful here? What qualities are important for advancing in the company?

Is there anything we haven’t discussed that you think is important to know about working here?

To Learn More About Company Culture:

When doing your research, you’ll likely find yourself reading Glassdoor reviews or browsing the company’s website to get a better idea of the company culture. While doing this foundational research is important, you also might want to get a better understanding of what day-to-day life is like at your potential employer. The following questions are good examples to gain an understanding of their company culture.

What professional development opportunities does the company offer?

Is your company taking any precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure worker safety?

How would you describe the work environment at this company? Why do people stay here?

How has the company changed in your time here?

To Show You’ve Done Your Research:

When doing research prior to your interview, make sure that you have the basics as interviewers may not like explaining simple facts about their company. To show that you put effort into learning about the company, consider asking some of the following questions.

I saw that the company won _____ award. Can you talk about your experience and how it relates to this honor?

I read _____ about your company recently. Can you tell me more about this?

How do you think this company differentiates itself from its competitors, such as _____?

I read that your core values are _____. Can you talk about an experience where these were displayed?

To Wrap up the Interview & Find out More About Next Steps:

When concluding an interview, you’ll want to end on a high note with your interviewer. This may entail learning about next steps or answering any final questions about what you bring to the table. The following are examples of questions to make sure that you leave the interview feeling prepared and optimistic.

Is there anything about my skills or experience that makes you question whether I am a good fit for this role?

Is there anything else I can provide to help you make a decision?

What are the next steps in the interview process?

What is the timeline for making a decision? When can I expect to hear back from you?

Looking for more interview tips? Check out these 6 Tips to a Successful Interview! 

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