Introduction
Picture this: you have secured an interview for your dream job. You researched the organization well, including those with whom you will be interviewing. You have reviewed the job description in detail, and know the organization structure as well as the strategic plan. You’ve done a “deep dive” into the financial statements, and even managed to speak with a friend who worked in the organization previously. You are all set.
The interview goes really well, and you and the hiring manager really connected. Then, as the interview winds down, he says to you: “So, do you have any questions you would like to ask”? You are caught off guard, and suddenly you scramble to think up something intelligent to say. However, you draw a blank. In an effort to break the long, pregnant pause you lamely ask “What is the starting salary you are offering?”
The interviewer with whom you got along so well, just a few minutes ago, changes his demeanour. Oddly, he now seems rushed and anxious to end the discussion. As you exit the department your optimism turns to regret, and a sobering reality emerges: you just blew it!
An Interview is a Two-Way Street
Too often, applicants think an interview is a one-way conversation. In truth, it is very much a dialogue. As much as the interviewer is trying to learn as much about you to determine whether you have the qualifications to meet their role, so too it is a chance for you, as an applicant, to ask insightful questions to ascertain whether this organization is a good fit for you.
Carefully chosen questions can often provide applicants with some important insights into the role, the company, and whether the prospective employer’s answers actually align with what the company stated in the job posting. Great questions can demonstrate your knowledge and commitment, and showcase that you have carefully researched and understand the role. As well, asking questions can serve as a springboard to demonstrate your suitability and fit. Conversely, poorly selected questions can demonstrate a lack of awareness, opportunism, and highlight someone who really isn’t dedicated to working for the company.
What to Ask and When to Ask It
Just as one can develop poise and competence in answering job interview questions, so too you can develop comfort in identifying unique and authentic questions to ask prospective employers. Knowing what questions to ask, how many to ask, and when to ask them, can provide you with a unique advantage in an interview..
My first piece of advice is to limit your questions to about three. Remember that in all likelihood, your interviewer has allotted only a set amount of time for the discussion. Asking more than three questions runs the risk of making an applicant look needy or even controlling. Choose your three questions carefully.
Second, avoid mundane questions. Focusing on details such as hours of work, seating arrangements, when you get paid, etc., makes an applicant look transactional. Again, these details can be worked out later when/if you get the job offer.
Third, avoid questions around salary, benefits or vacation allotments. Focusing on these issues conveys the impression that the applicant is only interested in remuneration or fringe benefits. The time to focus on these concerns is when an offer is proffered.
Applicants should remember that asking good questions in an interview is important as a means of confirming their suitability and interest in the role (Picture courtesy of Pexels and Tima Miroshnichenko).
Three Simple Questions That Can Yield Important Insights
When you break it down there are probably three things every applicant must understand in order to effectively perform in their new role:
- What is the mandate of the role?
- What are the requisite skills required in this role?
- What is the criteria by which the successful candidate will be evaluated?
If you don’t receive clarity around the position’s mandate then you will forever be arguing about priorities and responsibilities. If there is a skill that is required in the role for which you are untrained or are lacking in competence then your prospects for success are dim. Finally, if you are being evaluated on a set of criteria that are at odds with what was posted in the job specification then essentially you are being set up for failure.
That said, here are my suggestions for the best questions to ask in an interview:
- Is this position newly created or a replacement, and what is the main objective of this role?
Normally, I don’t recommend using a compound question, but this is an exception. The first part of this question can sometimes put an interviewer on the defensive, especially if the previous incumbent resigned under difficult circumstances or was terminated. The second part of this question helps you to uncover the real reason this position exists, and what is the primary function.
- What would you say are the three most important qualities the successful candidate must bring to this job in order to achieve success?
The job ad which you may have responded to likely had a number of qualifications and compensable factors listed. This question helps you, as an applicant, prioritize which qualities are most important. Compare the answer you receive to the job ad. If there are differences then that may indicate some differences worth exploring further.
- What would you say are the short, medium and long-term objectives in this role? (N.B. A variation of this question is “What are the thirty, sixty and ninety-day objectives in this role”?).
I absolutely love this question! It forces a hiring manager to think through what it is they are hoping the successful candidate will achieve in their first few months. The answers should align with what is referenced in the job ad. If they don’t, there may be a discrepancy. If the hiring manager can’t answer this question then it is a huge red flag, and tells me they haven’t thought through the requirements and priorities very carefully.
Once you ask your questions sit back, remain silent, and listen carefully to not just the answer, but also, what is not said. Omissions, deflections or a reluctance to answer can often be telling. Watch carefully the facial expression of the interviewer as he/she responds to your questions.
Some Other Good Questions That Might Be Worth Asking
There are many other good questions that might be worth asking in an interview. Here is a sample of others I particularly like:
- What does a typical day look like for someone in this role?
- What types of projects will the successful candidate be working on?
- What is the most formidable obstacle the successful candidate needs to overcome in this role?
- How would you describe the temperament and character of persons in the department?
- How would you describe the department’s major strengths and biggest challenges?
- What adjectives would you use to describe the corporate culture of your organization?
- What career opportunities exist within your organization?
- What makes your organization unique in the marketplace?
- What is it that gives your organization a competitive advantage in the marketplace?
- What is it about your organization that attracted you to work here, or that compels you to want to stay?
A Final Thought….
Everyone throughout their career has regrets, and all of us, at one time or another, have made mistakes. I am no exception.
The worst situation happened about twenty-five years ago. I was contacted about a position by a networking contact I had met several years before. He explained the opportunity on the phone, and the job sounded enticing. I interviewed with him, and then with members of his department, and finally, with a number of senior managers. The interview process proceeded very quickly. Not long afterwards an offer was made. The salary and benefits were extremely high. However, in the back of my mind, I had a number of nagging questions that remained unanswered.
Sadly, I didn’t trust my instincts. I should have taken the time to ask questions and obtain clarification. Instead, I jumped at the offer, and thought that I could work out the details later. That was a huge mistake! I spent three years in a job I hated working alongside co-workers I distrusted, and with a supervisor who had no conception or basic understanding on what he wanted me to deliver.
In summary, the message is clear: ask good questions, and make sure you get even better answers.