3 Great Interview Questions for Candidates to Ask

Bravo! You've landed an interview! But are you prepared?

Being prepared with company knowledge, together with a few good questions, makes you an attractive candidate to an employer. In other words, what you say, and how you say it, shows that you care and are actually interested in the job and not just getting paid.

Desperate job seeker vs. desirable employee

Job seekers who actually say (and come across non-verbally) with “I just want a job –any job, please hire me!” are going to be weeded out very quickly as they are often perceived as desperate, needy, not selective, and ultimately not a good fit for the company.

An interview is really a business discussion

Remember that an interview is a conversation between the potential employer and YOU! Interviews are a two-way dialogue in which you, the candidate, should be completely prepared to provide STARS stories with the interviewer that clearly illustrate your skills and upbeat attitude.

3 great questions to grow the conversation

Make yourself memorable in a very positive way by asking great questions. Here are a few of my favourites:

1. What main problems would be solved within the first 6 months of hiring an ideal candidate?

Listen carefully to what is said and then provide a concise STARS story that demonstrates clearly that you have handled similar problems in your past with skill and ease.

2. Based on today’s conversation and what you know of me so far, how would you rate my chances of moving forward to the next phase?

"I really like what I’ve learned about your company and this position. I’m very interested in this opportunity and I believe I can do a great job for you". I like to interweave this one with the question “when will a hiring decision be made?” Clearly, this shows that you are interested and want to follow up! In addition, you can use the information provided in the employer’s answer to add additional examples from your work history to “wow” them further.

3. What would convince you in the first six months that you have indeed hired the right person?

All of these questions can provide you with an opportunity to showcase your past experience and skills with a STARS story.

Unfamiliar with behavioural interviewing and need some coaching or tip sheets on how to prepare for interviews? Please go to ineedaresumenow.ca or contact me at [email protected]

Joy Cohen