You Need to Ask These 4 Questions in Your Next Interview
Making a great impression should be your number one goal in any interview. But your second goal should be to come away from the interview with as much information as you can about the company, their culture, your potential coworkers, and what working there on a day-to-day basis will look like. That way, if an offer is extended to you, you know exactly what you’re getting into and you won’t be surprised by a poor culture fit or something worse on your first day. To achieve your second goal, make sure you ask these 4 questions in your next interview.
1. What kind of professional growth opportunities are there? This question allows you to show that you’re interested in being at their organization for a long time and that you’re prepared to grow your skills and your worth within their company. But, of course, on your end this question lets you know if it’s the kind of company that invests in their employees or if you’re going to get stuck in a dead end role and have to look for a new job in a few years.
2. Is this a new position or a role that someone left recently? If it’s a new position that could mean there’s growth at this organization. If the person who had the job before you was promoted that could mean they’re the kind of company that offers growth opportunities. And, if it’s a role that someone left recently, you can politely ask why but you may not get a straight answer. It’s a question you’ll want the answer to if it’s positive and, if it’s negative, you probably won’t get an answer. However, if they can’t disclose that to you, it may not mean that the person in the job left intentionally, it may just mean it wasn’t the right job for them.
3. What convinced you this was the right place to work? Knowing why an existing employee was excited to work for that company can let you know what some of the best aspects of that organization are. Plus, it allows the person you’re interviewing with to talk about the positive aspects of their company from their perspective, rather than from a generic view. These kinds of insights can be invaluable when it comes to company culture, benefits, and what the job requirements really entail!
4. What are the expectations of this role and how often are employees evaluated? Although most interviews will cover this, it’s always important to know exactly what your job expectations will be when you join this company. Additionally, you can ask how often employees are evaluated! This will help you know if you’re going to have a formal annual review, which is a great opportunity to ask for a raise, or if it’s a more informal evaluation process.
We spend so much time focusing on the impression we make in an interview that we often forget the questions we want answers to. If you want to make the best decision should a job offer head your way, you need to ask these 4 questions in your next interview. They’ll help you cover bases that are often missed and get a unique perspective on what it’s like to work at each company.