If you’ve bagged yourself an interview – congrats! You should ensure you’re prepared for all the questions they may ask you in the interview, but there’s one more part of an interview that you need to make sure that you’re ready for: the end of the interview when the interviewer/hiring manager asks you if you have any questions. This is where you can blow them out of the water with some seriously impressive questions about the company and the role. You’ll also be able to take control for a minute and set a few things straight in your mind! Here are some good questions to ask the hiring manager:
“How would you describe the company culture and working environment here?”
This is a great question to ask if you want to get a feel for what it would be like to actually work at the place you’re interviewing for. You can also judge by the interviewer’s response whether it is a nice place to work or not and if the management/teams actually get along. If the interviewing team can interact in a positive way, then it’s more likely the working environment will be a good one.
“Why do YOU like working at Company XYZ?”
Asking this type of question flips the interview experience back over to the interviewer. It will momentarily flick off the official title that the interviewer has taken and will bring things back to a more personal level, giving you a good insight into if it’s a great place to work. If the question is a hard one to answer for them, it’s probably not a good sign. If the interviewer can’t stop raving about things in the company then it’s a fantastic sign that the role is a good one.
“What do you think are some of the challenges for this department?”
Asking a question like this shows that you have considered what you think are the challenges and, in turn, what you can do to overcome them. It also shows you’re interested in seriously boosting the department and changing things, which shows initiative and real interest.
“What is a normal career path for someone in this role?”
This question tells the interviewer that you’re keen to progress in the industry (and hopefully the company). It shows you’re passionate about progressing and have a real passion for what you do.
“What learning and development opportunities are available?”
This is a fantastic question that will show you whether the company offers any useful training opportunities or sets aside a budget for learning. It also shows the interviewer that you’re eager to learn and develop in a professional setting.
“What sort of people do well in this company?”
A different style of question could possibly throw off the interviewer again. This shows that you’re in the mindset to succeed – you want to do well in the role.
“How will I know if I’m doing well?”
Setting professional KPIs on a role is important to check the performance of any new employee. If a candidate asks this question, it proves that they’re interested in performing highly and are aware of how professional KPIs are set.
“Why did this job role become available?”
Asking this question is great for shedding light on various aspects of the company. First off, you’ll find out if employees are leaving the company (not a good sign!) or if the company is simply growing and adding more members to the team.
Try and avoid saying “no, I don’t have any questions!”, and try and get as much out of the interview as possible – asking questions at the end can give you a bigger insight than anything.
