Questions to ask in your next interview

Job interviews generally involve the interviewer asking the candidate specific questions to determine whether they may be appropriate for the role. Preparing for all questions that are likely to come up during your interview can help set you apart from other candidates. However, it’s also worth preparing for the possibility that the interviewer asks if you have any questions for them. Besides helping you understand more about the role and what it involves, asking the right questions can showcase your suitability for the job.

Why is asking questions during an interview important?

Here are some specific reasons why asking appropriate questions during a job interview can help improve your chances of getting the role:

• It showcases your interest in the job. Asking questions is a good way of demonstrating that you’re not there to merely test the job market and that you’re genuinely interested in the respective position. Also, asking questions that are appropriate to the role and hiring organization shows that you’ve taken the time to research the position and come up with specific things that you’d like to learn more about.
• It can help you learn more about your future supervisors. The person conducting the interview may also be the one coordinating and supervising you if you get the role, making this a good opportunity to learn more about them. This can provide you with insight into what it would be like to work under their supervision and how they treat their team members.
• It can showcase your critical thinking skills. Having well-developed critical thinking skills is a trait that most hiring managers want from job candidates. Asking thoughtful and well-researched questions can help showcase your intelligence and ability to think independently, which may help differentiate you from similarly qualified candidates.
• It can give you a general idea regarding company culture. Besides fitting in as a professional, it’s also important to fit into the company culture if you’re going to stay with an organization for a long time. Asking appropriate questions to the hiring manager, assessing their answers, and observing the way they answer them can give you valuable insight into how the company culture is likely to be.

“Besides helping you understand more about the role and what it involves, asking the right questions can showcase your suitability for the job.”

5 questions you can ask during an interview

Consider asking these five questions during your next job interview to learn more about the role and make a good impression on the interviewer:

What does a typical day look like at this company?

Regardless of the specific job you’re after or the industry in which the hiring organization operates, asking what your typical work schedule would be like can help portray you as a dedicated professional who likes to plan ahead. Although the hiring manager will probably tell you about the role’s tasks and responsibilities, asking them to walk you through a typical workday can also help you get a better understanding of the job’s requirements, and you can use the answer to determine whether the position seems like a good fit for you.

What are your expectations from the person filling this role?

Although each job description includes the employee’s responsibilities, they usually only provide a general idea regarding what the role involves. Asking the interviewer this question can help you understand what the standards are for your work and get a better idea regarding the tasks they expect you to perform. Besides helping you understand the job better, it also shows the interviewer that you care about the role and want to know as much about it as possible.

Will there be any advancement opportunities in the future?

Many companies prefer to promote from within their own ranks as often as possible, as it reduces recruitment costs and encourages existing employees to work hard and improve themselves as professionals. Asking this question can help you impress the interviewer in two different ways. First of all, it signals your professional ambition and desire to work your way up the career ladder. Secondly, it highlights your commitment to staying with the respective company over the long term instead of looking for advancement opportunities elsewhere.

Can you tell me more about the group of employees I’d be working with?

Asking this question can help you understand how the role you’re applying for fits into the general context of the hiring organization. It can help you understand the types of professionals you’d be working with, the managers you’d report to, and how the company is generally structured. Depending on the answer, it can also give you the opportunity to mention your past success while working in similar contexts, which can serve as further proof that you’re the right candidate for the role.

What are the next steps in the recruitment process?

The hiring manager is likely to wait until the final parts of the interview to give you the opportunity to ask your questions, which makes it the ideal moment to inquire about the next steps. This is a good way to showcase optimism without seeming over-confident, while also suggesting that you’re genuinely interested in the job. It also helps you determine when would be a good time to follow up if you don’t get any response from the company in the days after the interview.

Although the most important success factor in a job interview is giving appropriate answers to the interviewer’s questions, knowing what to ask when given the chance can make the difference between getting a job and almost getting it. These five questions can help you understand the role better and demonstrate your suitability for it. While you’re waiting to hear back from employers about potential or previous interviews, make sure to create a profile on CareerBuilder so other organizations can find you.

More tips on succeeding in job interviews:

Learn more about recruitment processes by finding out what you need to know about the informational interview.

Consider the perfect answers to 10 common job interview questions.

When preparing for an interview, consider these five simple mistakes that could be costing you the job.