4 Questions to Ask in An Interview to Get a Better Idea of What the Job Entails
Job descriptions and job ads will give you a general idea of what your day-to-day might look like in the job you’ve applied for but, once you’ve made it to the interview process, you should try to get a better idea of what the job entails. Ask these 4 questions to get the answer you’re looking for!
1. Managerial Style: If you want to know what your day-to-day will look like you should ask about your manager’s managerial style. Some people are more hands off, others would rather collaborate with their teams and touch base regularly. Some people are more focused on the big picture, others want to be involved in the day-to-day decision making process. When you understand what kind of boss you’re working with, it’s easier to picture a day in the life in this role and decide whether or not it’s a good fit for you.
2. What Set Others Apart: You don’t just want to get the job done, you want to go above and beyond! A great way to let hiring managers know that and to find out more about what the job entails, you can ask what set previous employees in this position or a similar one apart. This will give you insight into company culture, what traits are essential for this job, and what you can do to stand out should you accept the position.
3. Upcoming and Previous Projects: Asking about upcoming projects shows that you’re interested in the position and really trying to picture yourself there. You want to know what you’ll be contributing so it’s okay to ask! Additionally, you could ask about what a previous project or two was that someone in your position worked on so you understand not just where this company is heading but also where this company has been and where you’d fit into that in this specific job.
4. Training or Learning Opportunities: Finally, in order to understand what your day-to-day could look like in the long term in this position or at this company in general, you should ask about the training and learning opportunities available. A lot of organizations expect IT professionals to learn new languages and technologies in their free time but some offer onsite training or tuition reimbursement. Similarly, if there’s a lot of training available to you this is probably the kind of company where they want to hire from within and have room for you to grow. If not, this may just be the kind of role you take for a few years before outgrowing it and needing to search for a new job again.
The more you learn about a job during the interview process, the more confident you can be accepting an offer if it comes your way or passing and moving on to an opportunity that suits you. Ask these 4 questions in your next interview to get a better idea of what the job entails and whether or not you’re a good fit for the role.