6 Questions You Should Ask in an Interview

Wednesday, December 23, 2020
A job interview is a two-way street. You have to do your best to impress but it’s also important that you find out what the employer has to offer you. This is something you can do at the end of the interview by asking a few carefully considered questions.

In this article, we’ll discuss some of the best interview questions to ask to show how committed you are to the process and to help you make an informed decision about the role. We recommend preparing three or four questions from the list below so you will have at least two to ask if some are covered during the interview.

“Is there anything on my CV or in my background that makes you question whether I’m a good fit for the role?”
This is a great question to ask for several reasons. Firstly, it gives you a chance to understand and address any concerns the interviewer may have. If the interviewer gives you an honest response, you will have one last chance to allay those fears. It also shows how committed you are to the role and will give you an idea of the skills or traits you may need to develop in the future.

“Have I answered all your questions or is there anything you’d like me to elaborate on?”
You want the hiring manager to go away from the interview feeling that you’re a perfect fit for the role and not that they wish they’d asked you more about X, Y or Z. Before you ask the other questions you’ve prepared, check whether the interviewer would like you to give more examples or provide any extra information about anything you touched on during the interview.

“What have been the career paths of the people who have held this position before?”
This is a great question to ask if you’re ambitious and eager to progress. If previous incumbents of the position are now in more senior roles within the organisation, that’s a sign that the company recognises and rewards high achievers and promotes from within. If previous holders of the position have left to work elsewhere, that could indicate that there are relatively few opportunities for internal progression.

“What are some of the challenges you expect the person hired for this role to face?”
The job description is the employer’s opportunity to sell the role and make their organisation sound like a fantastic place to work. This is your opportunity to dig beneath all that and try to understand just how messy day-to-day life might be. Are there interdepartmental politics that you’ll have to battle against or will a tight budget make it difficult to operate in your role effectively?

“Can you describe a typical day or week in the job?”
To decide whether the position is right for you, you need to know what a typical day will look like. It could be that the tasks that excite you on the job description will only account for a small proportion of your time. Alternatively, the admin tasks that you weren’t so happy about might be a major part of your working day. Some interviewers may try to keep things vague, so don’t be afraid to push for more detail.

“What do you enjoy most about working here?”
This is one question where you may learn more from what the interviewer doesn’t say. If they keep their response very flat and vanilla, you could potentially conclude that they’re not all that excited to be working there. If they respond enthusiastically and the values of the company align with your own, you could be onto a good thing.

Why asking questions is important
The questions you ask can make or break the entire interview. Asking thoughtful questions that show you are interested, engaged and committed to the role could help to set you apart as a candidate. Asking questions that focus solely on what the organisation can do for you or asking something that has already been addressed in the interview could show a lack of interest and undo all of your hard work so far.
Full Article @ https://jobs.theguardian.com/article/top-10-questions-to-ask-in-job-interviews/?s=2