Ask more questions when you go to a job interview

Sometimes job interviews settle into rote exercises that feel like a tennis match. Question- answer-question-answer-question-answer. Too often, answers are formulaic and not memorable. The problem for job seekers is that they are unlikely to leave a lasting impression on the people who will decide whether or not to extend an offer.

By asking good questions of the hiring manager or interview panelists, you will give yourself an immediate advantage over other candidates.

If you are an interviewee, your goal is to stand out. If you've made it to an interview, there's a darn good chance you've already passed the qualifications test. You're assumed to be competent in your field.

Employers are eager to make a hire, so they invite a handful of candidates for final consideration.

Once the panel has been through all of the interviews, they begin to rank candidates. Mostly, these rankings rely on their memory of the interviews.

Ask questions! It will help the interviewers remember you and it will show you to be a critical thinker who is courageous enough to put others on the spot.

Here are questions that you should ask the person who will supervise you if you get the role:

• Why should I want to take this role? (This is the hardest question to ask, but it will have the biggest impact. It shows that you are in a position to decide, and you're going to make a careful decision).
• What is the most important thing that you need to get right immediately?
• What are the most important success metrics for your team?
• What will I need to accomplish in the first x months?
• How do you motivate your team?
• What kind of decisions are most difficult for you?
• How much time do you spend with your direct reports and what sorts of things do you work with them on?
• If there was one skill set you could immediately add to your team, what would it be?
• What do you spend too much time on that you'd like to shift?
• How do your employees get professional development?

The questions above are meant to give you a good feeling about whether you want to work for this person. They also put the supervisor into the psychological position of trying to convince you to join their team.

Sometimes you'll interview with a panel that might include potential teammates. Here are some questions you can ask anyone that you'll be working with but who won't necessarily supervise you:

• What is the most challenging thing about working on this project or team?
• What does the organization do to inspire you?
• What's one thing you wish you knew about the organization before you started working here?
• Where do you see the team in x months?
• What is the ratio of time spent on planning versus executing in the department?
• How does the organization support you in keeping up to date with industry changes or changes in technology?

Finally, here are some questions that you can ask any panel member:

• What are you most proud of in your time with the organization?
• Which organizational value do you relate to the best?
• What are some ways all organization members can give feedback to leaders?
• Can you tell me about a time when you had to quickly shift your focus to achieve a goal in your work?

The main point of all of these questions is to help you stand out from the crowd in a positive way. Secondary to that is that you will learn a lot more about the organization that you are considering investing a lot of yourself into.

The end of the interview is always reserved as a time for you to ask questions. Use it! Make your interviewer think! It will give you the advantage and help you stand out.