In addition to answering questions, asking questions is an important part of the interview. When you ask your own questions of an employer, you show that you are serious about the job. Asking questions makes you stand out from others and shows that you were paying attention during the interview.
It is important to prepare for this part of the interview so you have a few great questions ready to ask at the right time. Your questions should demonstrate your interest in the company and help you find out more about the position. After all, the answers to your questions should help you decide whether or not you want the job if it is offered to you.
There are three types of questions you should prepare to ask at the interview. They are questions about the following:
- Position
- Company
- Interview process
Questions about the position
If you have any questions about the position or specific job you will be doing, you may want to ask these first. Here are some examples:
- Where is the job located?
- How long has the position been vacant, or is this a new position?
- What happened to the person who last worked the job?
If you have other questions about the position, make sure you ask them so that you fully understand the position. However, be sure that you do not ask questions that were already answered during the interview.
Questions about the company
Next, you may want to ask questions about the company or organization. Here are some examples of questions you may ask:
- Why does the interviewer like working at this company?
- What is the working environment like?
- How are your employees most successful?
- What continuing education and training is expected?
Be sure to ask these questions in a friendly way and try not to put the interviewer on the spot. Do not hound the interviewer with questions. Ask one or two questions to get the interviewer’s perspective of the company and what it takes to be successful there.
Questions about the next step in the interview process
You will also want to ask what the next steps are in the interview process. Maybe you will need additional interviews with other employees. Maybe this will be your first and final interview with the company. Be sure to ask this at the end of the interview so you know what is expected of you.
In addition, you may want to ask one or more of the following questions:
- When should I expect to hear from you?
- Will I hear from you either way (if I get the job or not)?
- Who will make the hiring decision?
- When do you expect to fill the position?
The answers to these questions will give you a better idea of the next steps in the interview process. Be prepared to ask them at the end of the interview so you will have peace of mind knowing if and when you will hear from the employer.
Stay tuned for our next post where we’ll show you how to mentally prepare yourself to interview. If you’d like to learn more about teaching workplace readiness skills, click the free trial link below.
