12 questions to ask at a Job Interview

She called me excitedly. “I have an interview tomorrow, Farzana! I’m so excited!” I was delighted, too. “That’s terrific, Alka!” I responded. I continued, “Prepare for it well. Keep your questions ready.” She muttered, “Questions? What questions?” I smiled and patiently suggested, “You’ll be interviewing the prospective employer as well, won’t you?” Alka queried, “Oh, how can I interview them? I’ll just ask some basic questions.”

“Yes, you will and you’ll add more to understand better of what is expected from you. Assume, you are getting into a partnership and now think about how will the meeting you both are having for the first time, play out. Do you get my drift?” I said.

“Ah, I get it.” Alka agreed.

Interviews are a two-way street. However, as a candidate you still seem to be more worried about what kind of questions you’ll be asked and overlook the important fact that you have the opportunity to interview the prospective employer as well. The interviewer IS going to ask the end question – ‘Do you have any questions?”

Being prepared with your questions reinforces your suitability as a candidate and gives you an invaluable opportunity to find out more about your role and the company you’re applying to. Quizzing the interviewer changes his/her perception of you and provides you the opportunity to discover whether your goals and the company’s goals are aligned.

To get you thinking, here’s a list of a few excellent questions that you could quiz the interviewer on.

1.           How the position I’m applying for evolve? This will help you to understand whether there’s opportunity to progress. Did the previous employee move on, due to the role being a dead end or used it as a stepping stone to advance his/her career.

2.           Can you share what my day-to-day responsibilities will entail? This will give you a handle on your role and its expectations on a daily basis.

3.          How could I exceed your expectations in my role in the first 3 months? This is a good question to gauge what the employer defines as ‘high’ performance. Very often a mismatch happens when both are looking at different goalposts.

4.          What challenges could I face in the first 3 months? An important question to prepare you for whatever comes your way. To be in readiness and take it head on and work through it. If the interviewer says that there aren't any, it’s your cue to do some due diligence.

5.          What qualities are the most important for doing well and advancing here? This will help you in understanding how you fit and what is needed to climb the ladder of success here.

6.          Will I have an opportunity to meet those who would be part of team during the interview process? Another reason to display your enthusiasm for the job as well for you to assess the people you will be working with and whether they are the right team.

7.          Where do you see the company in three years and how would the person in this role contribute to this vision? This demonstrates your interest in being successful in the organisation and gauge whether it aligns with your own roadmap of success.

8.          In what way is performance measured and reviewed? This communicates the evaluation process, the results that are expected and the metrics used to measure your growth in the organisation.

9.          What do you enjoy most about working here? Work forms a huge part of your life, and you may want to be sure you’ll be working with people that actually love and enjoy what they do. Be aware of the words and body language used during this response. It’ll give you clues.

10.     Is there anything that concerns you about my background being a fit for this role? A pointed question can help you in receiving immediate feedback on any specific expectations.

11.     Is there anything we haven't covered that you think is important to know about working here? This leaves room for any question you may have forgotten or are not aware of.

12.     When can I expect to hear from you and what are the next steps? The wait after an interview is in most cases filled with anxiety. This provides clarity and sets your mind at ease.

A close is important in a sale. Interviews are all about the interviewing manager and the candidate selling to each other. How you close an interview just like a sale, has relevance. Interviewing the interviewer provides you the opportunity to stand out from the crowd and helps you to make sure the job is right for you.

Alka has decided to prepare her questions instead of worrying about being grilled at the interview. She’s a confident woman and in a competitive world, all you need to possess is the strength to make a dent. I’m certain she’ll do well.

In case you have an interview soon, keep the above questions in mind. In fact, add a few more. Congratulations on a successful interview and a new job!

With this kind of self-mastery, victory lies in your hands!

Your Victory Coach

(Originally published in R Diary of Times Of India)