Without a doubt, interviewing for your dream job can be a daunting and unnerving experience. Interviews are often your first (and often only) chance to really show the company who you are as a person… no pressure!
No doubt you’ve spent days or even weeks preparing for every possible question they could throw at you, you’ve rehearsed and memorised countless scenarios, you’ve got a trove of examples that highlight your skills and experience, you’re no longer fearful of being hit with the ‘give me an example of a time when…’
Just when you think you’ve aced every question, you’re hit with the one that so frequently gets forgotten: Have you got any questions for us?
All too often, this final part of the interview becomes a missed opportunity to make a lasting and memorable impression on your interviewers. But with just an extra bit of preparation and this handy cheat sheet, you can arm yourself with some killer questions that will leave an impact.
Why Is It So Important to Ask Questions In An Interview?
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: interviews are a two-way process. An interview is your opportunity to assess the credentials of the company just as much as they’re assessing your suitability for the role. Asking pertinent questions will help you gauge if this company is right for you while also providing you with another opportunity to showcase your insight, expertise, and enthusiasm.
The questions you ask give your interviewers an extra understanding of your vision of the role, your areas of interest, and your scope of understanding. Likewise, it provides you with a chance to gain a more detailed understanding of the areas that you may have only touched upon until now.
While there are no explicitly right or wrong questions to ask, you can use this opportunity to make sure you stand out from your competitors, and leave a lasting, positive impression on your interviewers.
Some Killer Interview Questions For You
This is your perfect opportunity to stand out from the crowd, so use it! Too often interviewees will respond to this question with ‘I think you’ve answered them all already!’.
While a good interview should pre-emptively answer a lot of questions you may have had, no interviewer can provide all of the information available, so there is always a chance for you to learn more.
Here are some killer interview questions that will leave a positive lasting impression (and why):
1) How do your company values inform your company’s approach?
Not only does this question highlight to your interviewers that you’ve researched the company, it also emphasises your ability to dig deeper, to critically evaluate, and to not take information at face value. Asking about values reinforces your interest in the company’s culture as opposed to just the role… why should you be interested in this company specifically?
2) What characteristics will this person need for the first 3-6 months in post?
It ain’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it. Any good interview will have already addressed the skills and experience needed for the role. This is your chance to uncover more about how this role is to be fulfilled. This will provide you with invaluable insight into the type of personality that the company is looking for, allowing you to assess your own suitability while also providing further information on what will be expected of you if you were to join.
3) What do you see as being the most challenging/rewarding aspects of this role?
No career is always sweetness and light. Peaks and troughs are a natural part of any role, and being aware of what lies ahead will allow you to better prepare for all aspects of the role. This question also highlights to your interviewers that you’re not approaching an opportunity with rose-tinted lenses: you are prepared for the challenges as much as the rewards.
4) What do you enjoy about working for this company?
Let’s face it, everyone loves to talk about themselves. After having just spent an hour or so of speaking about you and your experiences, now is a great chance to learn some more about your interviewer, their background, approach, and experience.
What NOT To Ask at the End of An Interview
As long as your questions are relevant to the company and the role, there is no such thing as a bad question. It is, however, advisable to think about your timing. If you immediately jump in with a question about annual leave, for example, you run the risk of your priorities being misconstrued.
While it’s important to have clarification on flexible working, annual leave, and salary, it is advisable not to lead with these. If they haven’t been clarified already, ask these questions after you’ve asked a few others!
A Few Final Words from a Recruitment Agency
Interviews will always be a tad nerve-wracking; nerves are a healthy sign that you genuinely care. Preparing as much as possible for your interview will instil greater confidence in your skills, abilities and suitability for this role. Remember: nobody is going to interview you unless they genuinely think you’re capable of doing the job.
Maximise your chances of securing an offer by preparing to ask pertinent questions that will help demonstrate your expertise, insight and enthusiasm for the opportunity.
If you would benefit from extra preparation, the team at Inclusive offers practice interview sessions for each individual we work with.
