Interviewers will always ask: “do you have any questions”. They expect you to have questions because you’re applying for a job that will take up a huge chunk of your life. Accepting a job offer is a major life decision. They expect you to show some curiosity or interest in the company.
They expect the candidate to have at least one question.
But many candidates don’t understand the importance of this part of the interview. They declare confidently that they have no questions whatsoever. They say that everything is crystal clear. And without knowing it, they make a bad impression and decrease their chances of landing the job.
Don’t be like them. Have a list of questions memorized so that you can seize the moment and impress the interviewer.
In this post, I’ll explain (1) the main reason why you need to ask questions, (2) the best 15 questions I heard during my time as a recruiter, and (3) how you can perfect your delivery so that your questions have maximum impact.
After reading this post, you’ll know how to ask the best questions during interviews.
The Main Reason Why You Want to Ask Questions
You don’t need to wait until the end of your interview to ask questions. In fact, it’s better to ask a few upfront — right at the beginning. Here’s the reason why.
You want to impress the interviewer, right? You want them to think you’re the perfect candidate. Well, you can use questions to achieve this goal. You can use questioning like a detective to probe the mind of your interviewer. When they give you answers, take a mental note of what they say. Then use those answers to mirror their language and reflect their desires back at them.
For example, at the beginning of the interview you could ask: “what’s the most important quality that somebody needs to be successful in this position?”
The interviewer might respond: “Organization is the most important thing because one mistake can cause headaches for the whole team.”
Boom. You discovered an important piece of information. They want to hire somebody who is super organized. So later on in the interview, you can emphasize your organizational skills. You can describe a situation in the past where you organized a chaotic environment and saved the day. The interviewer will be impressed. They’ll think “Wow, this is exactly what we’re looking for.”
You see? You posed a question, took the answer, and reflected it back to the interviewer. It’s a little bit Machiavellian but it’s effective.
My Favorite 15 Questions
During every interview, you’ll spot numerous opportunities to pose questions. You need to have a list memorized so that you can seize the moment. I recommend these 15 questions because they’re some of the best I heard during my time as a corporate recruiter.
Here’s the list:
- What skills and experiences are you looking for in the ideal candidate?
- What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position will face?
- Is this a replacement or a growth position?
- What does trajectory look like in this position? Let’s say I do well, what does your 2 – 3 – 4 look like for me down the road?
- What training programs are available for your employees?
- I’m someone that really likes to hit my goals. What are the performance metrics for this position?
- What’s your favorite part about working here? (This is a great question because it flips the script on the interviewer).
- What career goals is the company focused on right now and where do you see the company going in the next three to five years? What are the biggest challenges this department is facing right now? What projects are you working on that I can make a direct impact on?
- Are there any further details about my background that you’d like to know?
- Do you have any book recommendations for me to be successful in this position? (This is a great question because people love sharing their favorite books and authors).
If you want to ask specifically about company culture, here are the best five questions to ask:
- How would you describe your company culture? (This question is direct and to the point)
- How would someone in this role work best with the rest of the team?
- What type of events do you attend after work hours? What type of team building activities do you organize?
- What does growth and development look like? Where do you see the company in 5 years?
- What three things would you say someone needs in order to be successful at this company?
Remember: take a mental note of the answers so that during the interview you can use them to boost the power of your responses .
How to Perfect Your Delivery When Asking Questions
You’ll probably be nervous before your interview, and you might feel extra nervous about asking these questions. To calm your nerves, it helps to practice — a lot. And I don’t mean in front of the mirror.
Although it’s annoying, the best way to practice is to record yourself with your phone and then watch back the recording. Pay extra attention to your tone of voice. You want to sound curious. You want to sound natural. If you use the wrong tone of voice, the questions might be taken the wrong way.
For example, if you get the tone wrong, the interviewer might find it strange if you suddenly ask, “What are your book recommendations?” So you must practice framing your questions properly and delivering them in a natural way.
Conclusion
And there you have it; now you have a list of probing questions that you can ask. You can take a mental note of the answers you receive and mirror back the language and ideas. If you manage to pull it off, you’ll make a big impact on the interviewer, and you’ll increase your chances of landing the job.