A job interview is an ideal opportunity for the interviewer to learn more about the candidate and for the candidate to learn more about the job. It's also an opportunity for the candidate to ask questions about the company.
Are You Unsure About What To Ask In An Interview?
Below, we've compiled some questions to ask at an interview
Learn More About The Job/Position
- How would you describe the team I would be working with?
- What exactly does the position entail daily?
- What are the primary responsibilities of this position?
- What can you tell me about the team I'll be joining?
- How would you describe the team I would be working with?
- What qualities are you looking for in a candidate?
- What is your company culture like?
- What are some of the biggest challenges the company is facing right now?
- How does this department function within the larger organization?
- Who would my direct supervisor be, and what is their management style?
- What sort of professional development opportunities are available here?
- Is there anything in my background that concerns you or you would like me to explain further?
- What do you expect from me in this job in the first six months?
- What would you expect me to achieve in the first 3 months?
- Who was the most successful person in this position previously? What were some of the keys to their success? How did they achieve the desired level of success?
- What was it about the people who performed exceptionally well that set them apart from those who were merely competent?
- What improvements or changes do you anticipate the new hire will bring to this position?
Discover More About The Company
- What do you see as the biggest opportunities for growth in this industry?
- How does this position contribute to achieving corporate goals?
Company Culture
- How would you describe the company culture?
- What are your company's core values, and how do they guide your decisions?
- How do you ensure that all employees align with the company's values?
- How do you handle conflict or disagreements among employees?
- What is your approach to employee development and training?
- How do you encourage creativity and innovation among your employees?
Management/Leadership Style
- What are the biggest challenges that the management team has faced in the past?
- How has the company been able to overcome these challenges?
- What role did you play in this process?
- As a manager, what are your top priorities?
- What do you think sets your management style apart from others?
- What challenges have you identified in your role that you would like me to help you address?
Professional Development
- What are the manager's expectations are for the position? How will it develop?
- What does the company's growth trajectory look like, and how does this department contribute to that?
- How has your career development path been within the company?
- Can you describe some of the opportunities for professional development and continuing education that are available?
- What is the company's policy on work/life balance?
- Is there any potential for flexible work arrangements?
Behavioral Questions
Behavioral interviewing is based on the premise that there is no one correct answer to any interview question. However, some potential questions the interviewer might ask during a behavioral interview include:
- Can you give me an example of a time when you had to deal with a difficult customer/client/colleague/situation?
- Can you tell me about a time when you had to lead or manage a project or team of people?
- Can you share with me a time when you made a mistake and how you handled it?
- Can you tell me about a time when someone criticized your work? What was the criticism, and how did you react?
- Tell me about a time when you had to inspire others to achieve exceptional results.
- Describe a situation where you successfully overcame resistance within your team or company to bring about change.
- How do you evaluate success?
- Tell me about a time when you delegated effectively, and the outcome was better than if you had done it yourself?
- How do you handle criticism?
- When was the last time you dealt with an emotionally charged issue at work? How did you handle it?
- Describe a time when you had to make a difficult decision affecting your team or department.
- How did you come to that decision, and what was the outcome?
- Describe a time when you successfully dealt with a difficult customer or client. What tactics did you use, and how successful were they?
How To Answer Behavioral Interview Questions
First, you need to learn how to answer behavioral interview questions. There will always be a standard question or two that you must master, but there are also many situational (behavioral) questions that might come up during a job interview.
The following 4 tips for answering behavioral interview questions can help improve your chances of winning a job offer:
1. Prepare for the worst
Before every job interview, I review at least five previous interviews where I bombed! It's incredible what insight you gain from these agonizing experiences. You'll discover all the dumb mistakes you made at past jobs and devise excellent strategies for avoiding future pitfalls. This job-hunting advice makes an enormous difference to how successful your interviews will be!
2 . Practice makes perfect
Time yourself while practicing your answers. Doing this will help you get used to conveying your words in a way that keeps the interview moving forward. It will also allow you to avoid answers that are too long.
3 . Use a notepad and jot down key information
Writing things down is a great technique for making your mind work more efficiently. Write down the name, title, and company of the interviewer. Also include details from the job description and any other relevant information about the position. If you get stuck, you'll have some notes to refer back to when needed.
4 . Avoid jargon when possible
Jargon usually involves using industry or technical terms that may confuse someone who doesn't use them every day on the job. In most cases, it is best to keep explanations simple enough a 5th grader could understand them.