“Now, Do You Have Any Questions for us?”
As hiring managers, we want to know that the candidate in front of us are vested in the job interview. If the candidate doesn’t ask any questions at the end, we know that can sometimes cloud our estimation on their interest level and ability to engage. It’s often one of the more telling parts of the interview, where we can really see what the candidates priories are.
Once the tables are turned, these are what we think are the Top 5 Questions a Candidate Should Ask in a Job Interview:
- How would you describe the general culture of the company and the workplace?
Company cultures are often a large factor for many candidates. Happy employees love the work they do, and genuinely like the people they work with. Great candidates want to make sure they have a reasonable chance of fitting in with the culture—because the strongest job candidates almost always have options. - Why did you choose this company?
Having a candidate ask this question is showing that they truly want an insight into what your company values. Be honest. Talk about what keeps you there, like the people, or the company’s mission, or because there’s plenty of room at the company for advancement. - What does success truly look like in this position?
Great candidates want to be great long-term employees. Every organization is different, and so are the key qualities of top performers in those organizations. If the candidate wants to know what will truly make a difference for the position, it’s apparent they know they will successful if they help the company succeed. - What do you expect me to accomplish in the first 60 to 90 days?
Motivated candidates want to hit the ground running. They don’t want to spend weeks or months “getting to know the organization.” They want to make a difference right away. Plus they want to know how they’ll be evaluated—so they definitely want to understand objectives and expectations. - What are some challenges the department is currently facing?
No business is free from challenges, but you are not going to share every detail of your company’s strategy to someone who doesn’t even work for your company yet. A better solution is to turn the question around and ask them what they think needs to happen, which will give you further insight to their thought process.