When an interviewer asks if you have any questions at the end of the interview, you definitely don’t want to shrug and say “Nope!”
It’s not just a courtesy on their part. It’s part of the interview!
Most people would ask typical questions such as “What does a typical day look like?”
If you’re also asking questions at a basic level, you’re not differentiating yourself, and you’re missing a critical opportunity to impress like a superstar.
In everyday life, the main purpose of asking questions is to get answers to something you don’t know.
In an interview, the purpose of asking questions goes beyond gathering information.
You should be asking intentional questions that:
Give you more insight into the job so you can match your skills to it
Build bridges and connection with the interviewer
Give you opportunities to showcase company knowledge and critical thinking
Here are three types of questions you should ask at the end of an interview: informational, relational and strategic.
Informational Questions
These questions give you more information about the role and the company. Remember that interviews are a two-way street.
As much as they are assessing whether you would be a good fit for the company, you are also assessing whether you would like to work at the company.
Here are some examples of informational questions:
“Can you describe the team dynamics and company culture here?”
“What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the company?”
“What are the next steps in the hiring process?”
Do not ask questions that can be answered by the job description. It shows that you did not read the job description thoroughly.
Relational Questions
These questions allow you to build bridges and connect with the interviewer.
If you’re in a panel interview where there are multiple interviewers and you are given the names of the interviewers beforehand, you may want to conduct some background research on the interviewers so that you can ask more tailored question to each individual.
For example, if one of the interviewers is a director in the company, and you see on LinkedIn that she has been with the company for over a decade, then you may want to ask her a question about her experience growing with the company and how the company has evolved throughout the years.
Strategic Questions
These questions give you an opportunity to match yourself to the job and further demonstrate your abilities.
Your goal is to make a statement in the form of a question. By asking effective questions, you can highlight your qualifications and fit for the job.
For example, you can demonstrate your knowledge of the company by asking questions about their recent projects, challenges or plans for the future, though you would need to conduct company research beforehand in order to formulate an informed question.
Here are a few more examples of strong questions to ask:
What could I do during my first few weeks to make the biggest impact
What will you want me to have achieved in the first 90 days?
What does outstanding performance look like in this role?
If I were the successful candidate for this role, would you recommend any reading/research I could undertake to be better prepared for day 1?
These questions allow you to gain more insight into the role and give you a way to match yourself to what the employer is looking for. These are some of the best questions to ask at the end of your interview.
You can use these questions to position yourself as someone that is ready to roll up their sleeves to get to work. They portray you as a strong candidate that is goal-oriented and willing to go above and beyond in order to be fully prepared for your role — you can hit the ground running!
How many questions should you ask?
I recommend preparing at least five questions. You don’t have to ask all of your questions because in some cases, your question may already be answered before the end of the interview.
You can also bring a written copy of your questions to the interview so you don’t have to worry about memorizing your questions!
Remember these tips so you don’t end up looking like this in your next interview:
When it comes to acing an interview and leaving a lasting impression, asking the right questions at the end can be crucial.
What is your favorite question to ask at the end of an interview?
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — -
Get unstuck and gain momentum to build your dream career. Book a free Discovery Call today.
#jobhunt #jobsearch #opentowork #jobsearchstrategies #careerdevelopment #jobseeker #careercoach #careeradvice #interviewtips #interviewcoach #careercoaching #careercoachingtips #careercoachingonline #careercoachingservices #careeradvice #bestcareeradvice #jobseeker #jobsearchhelp #jobsearchtips #jobsearchadvice
Kommentare