Job interviews aren’t only about impressing the interviewer; they’re about sparking a new relationship with your future employer
Source: 5 Questions To Ask In A Job Interview
I’ve had the opportunity to work in various organizations under several roles. I spent a few years as a Marine Corps recruiter, a recruiter supervisor, and a mentor/trainer. At another organization I had the opportunity to participate in several panel interviews where my responsibility ranged from screening and ranking resumes, interviewing applicants, and lastly recommending hires based on the cumulative resume and interview “score.” This experience has helped me develop my own interview style and successfully help others ace their interviews. With that said, the preceding article showcases a few tips that will help you stand out (in a good way) on your next interview.
Here are some questions you can ask your interviewer(s) to further extend the interview and allow you the opportunity to sell yourself:
1. What do you enjoy most about working here?
This question provides the interviewer an opportunity to describe their feelings about the job. You can then ask follow on questions and build rapport with a company employee.
2. Where do you hope the company will be in five years?
Asking this question will help you identify or get a gist of the company’s current state, and the desired state… through the eyes of your interviewer. If your goals align with your interviewer’s perceived goals, you can point that out by bringing up your strengths, skills and abilities that will help achieve said goals.
3. Can you tell me about the team I’d be working with, if I were selected for this position?
I believe this question (modified from the source article) shows your confidence and interest in learning about the employees you’d be working with. It can also teach you about the type of people and work environment.
4. How would you describe the work environment here?
This question will help you understand the company culture, and identify whether value is placed on individual achievements or collaborative work. You can then evaluate whether you’d be a good fit for the work environment. For example, if you’re an independent employee that prefers working alone, but this position relies on collaborative teamwork, this may be a deal breaker for you.
5. What’s the next step of this process?
Understanding what the next steps are can help you better plan for your own next steps. It can also help you identify how long you’ll have to wait before you hear a response on whether you’ve been selected.
Bonus Question: What skills and traits does your ideal candidate possess?
I like this question because it allows the interviewee the opportunity to clearly identify skills and traits of emphasis. Understanding exactly what the hiring manager is seeking can give you one more opportunity to describe exactly how you are the best candidate for this position.
No matter what question(s) you ask, be personable, practice your best listening technique, and always emphasize how your goals, traits, skills and experience have prepared you for this new role. If your experience is limited, describe other accomplishments or experiences that have prepared you for this job.
What about you, do you have any recommendations? What question(s) have you asked to help you land the job?