Questions to Ask in an Interview
The questions you ask your interviewers will be beneficial for many reasons. Not only do they
convey that you are taking an active interest in the position and company, but they offer further
knowledge to you regarding the history of that position as well as current expectations. Believe it or not I have had many candidates over time not have any questions for the prospective employer. Every time this has happened the same perceptions have been created. The two predominant perceptions are; 1. The candidate has a lack of interest in the position; and 2. The candidate is not detail oriented enough as they are not doing any due diligence. The questions should emphasize what is truly important to you:
- What will your expectations be of me in the first month/6 months/year in this position?
- How quickly are you looking to make your hiring decision?
- Who are your major competitors? How do you compete with your major competitors? What is
your current market share? - Tell me about a typical day/month in the department.
- What milestones does the company intend to reach in the next 5 to 10 years?
- What are the company’s overall strengths/weaknesses?
- Describe the culture of the company/department
- What are some of your prominent management philosophies?
- Why is the position open?
- Where did the previous person go? If the individual left the company. Was an exit interview
conducted? If so, what concerns did the previous person convey as a rationale for leaving?
Closing Questions
Your closing questions will be asked toward the end of the interview and are almost always directly related to your current position within the interview process. These are designed to give you a better idea of where you stand in the interview process and what the prospective company’s interest is in you.
- Do you have any hesitations at this point about the success I could bring to the company? or
What question/concerns do you have about my background as it relates to this position? - How do I compare with other applicants?
- Is there anything in my background that would keep me from receiving an offer?
- What is your hiring process? or What is the next step?
- When can we schedule the next interview?
- Consider asking if you can meet a few current employees.