Interview Questions To Ask

“What interview questions to ask” is a question that job searchers often ask themselves when preparing for their interview. The questions you ask during an interview can be a critical part of showing an interviewer that you are interested in the job and knowledgeable about the company.

Sure, you’re going to be asked most of the questions during the interview but you’re expected to ask questions yourself, too.

Remember that interviewing is a two-way street. Employers almost always allow you time to ask some questions during an interview and you need to be prepared with some questions and also account for the fact that some questions you might want to ask get answered during the course of the interview.

When considering what interview questions to ask, remember to ask questions that relate to the company, the job and to what you offer the company. Your list of interview questions to ask should be typed out on a plain sheet of white paper and brought with you during the interview. Don’t try to memorize the questions, write them down.

What specific questions should you ask? What questions shouldn’t you ask?

Interview Questions To Ask

Interview Questions To Ask About The Job

• Can you describe the ideal candidate for the job?
• Could you describe a typical workday for the position?
• What special skills does this position require?
• What special skills would your ideal candidate possess?
• Can you tell me a little bit about the people I’ll be working with?
• Can you tell me a little bit about the people I’ll be managing?
(If you are managing staff)
• Is this a newly created position or am I replacing someone?
• How will my performance on the job be measured?
• How much travel does the job require?

• What does the company do better than its competitors to distinguish itself?
• What are the immediate goals of the department you’ll be working in?
• What are the immediate goals of the company?
• How does the group you’ll be working in fit into the organizational structure of the company?
• What is the biggest challenge that the company faces?
• What is the company’s competitive advantage?
• What does the interviewer like about the company the most?

Interview Questions To Ask The Hiring Manager

• What specific goals do you have set out for this job in the first 6 months/12 months?
• What challenges do you see me having to face to complete these goals (the goals they mentioned in the first question).
• What could I do in this role that would make your job easier?

• Does the company offer employee training?
• What is the company policy on continuing education?

Interview Questions To Ask Before You Leave The Interview

• Are there any other questions I can answer regarding my background and suitability for the job?
• Are there any questions you asked that I can further clarify for you?
• Do you have any concerns regarding my suitability for the position?
• How do I compare with other candidates you have interviewed?
• What is the next step in the interview process?

Bottom Line

Depending on the interviewer, you might be able to ask only a few questions or if the interviewer is somewhat unorganized, you might need to fill dead air with a number of questions!

I’ve seen instances where interviewers allow the interviewee (ie. you) to take control of the interview by having the interview ask most of the questions and if you aren’t prepared for this, there could be a lot of uncomfortable silence during the interview!

Interview Questions Not To Ask

An interview question not to ask is one that discusses the issue of salary. You don’t want to appear money-motivated since this is usually a big turnoff for interviewers. Let the interviewer broach the issue of money/compensation first.

Related to the above point, another interview question not to ask is one that pertains to benefits, vacation time, sick days, stock options or things of that nature. There will be plenty of time to ask about these things once you get to the job offer stage.

Don’t ask questions that focus on what you want. Focus on questions that indicate your interest in the job and that show what you can do for the company. This is not the time to ask about your chances of getting transferred to one of the company’s exotic international locations.

A final interview question not to ask is any question that is already answered on the company’s website. If the answer is shown on the website, it shouldn’t be asked during an interview.

Let’s continue your job interview preparation by discussing Job Interview Tips!