Do you have any questions for me?

How many times has this question at the end of the interview has left you clueless, and you end up saying something like this?Well, everything has been great so far, I liked your interview process and I like this organization, I have heard so many good things about this organization from my friends and I really look forward to securing this position. ?

Just go a step back and see what was the question? ?

The question was - Do you have any questions for me? the interviewer didn’t ask your views about the company’s interview process, right. This means your answer is so irrelevant that the interviewer will judge you by now and has kind of made up his mind whether to even consider you.?

Or you say – No I don’t have any questions, thank you!?

You say this and hurry to get out of the interview room as if your tail is on fire.?

Did you know asking questions is like icing on the cake to your interview, I think this is a fantastic opportunity for you to make your mark, this is a great chance to show you are different from than other 20 candidates lined up for the interview? ?

I was recently talking to one of my friends who is also the hiring manager in his organization and is involved in interviewing at least 5 candidates every week. ?

While I casually asked him about his hiring experience, He exhaled deeply and said I am so frustrated that when I ask the candidates at the end of the interview, if they have any questions for me and they say “No I don’t have any questions” or “ I think I am ok” and he told me that, these candidates usually end up NOT getting hired. ?

He looked at me and said, do they even don’t want to know about the place where they will be working, what kind of candidates are these??

Never thought about it, did you??????

As I wrote in my previous articles, an interview is a platform where you sell your skills, experience, and values to the employer, and this is more of a partnership between you and your employer to work together for a common cause. ?

Let’s say when you are looking to invest in a property, don’t you consider knowing about the property, its valuation, future appreciation, legal accuracy and resale value, legitimate paperwork, and so on….?

Then why not have the same approach in an interview. ?

Aren’t you potentially investing, your time, skills, values, experience, learnings, and sacrifices for the job you are interviewed for??

Now keeping that in mind, lets proceed further.?

Let’s first understand, why is asking questions important in an interview, and how this will help you improve your chances of getting hired.?

1.????Not asking a question can signal that maybe you are not the right candidate.

2.????Not asking a question may indicate that you are not very interested in the position

3.????Not asking a question may hint that you are not passionate about your work and you are here just trying your luck?

Now, this doesn’t mean you ask questions just for the sake of asking, like:?

1.????What salary will I be offered

2.????When can I know the outcome of my interviews, as I am interviewing with another organization?

3.????When will I get my next promotion??

Honestly, I would reject candidates If I were asked these questions. Don’t get me wrong, these are not bad questions, but these are too direct and there is a better way to put it across.?

So let’s try and understand, why asking the right questions is so important.?

Good candidates always ask relevant and sharp questions. Remember, employers, are looking for people who are passionate about the job/skills. ?

Employers are looking for people who are willing to learn and grow, they are looking for people who will bring value to the organization and are assets to the organization.?

They are looking for people who are here for a long game, and not hopping jobs every 1-2 years, people who are problem solvers.?

Which means are you looking for a career or not merely just a job??

Now let’s see what questions can you ask your interviewer, here are a few of my favorite questions you can ask during your interview?

1.????I took the liberty to see your profile on LinkedIn and I see you are here in this organization for the past (no of years) years, What is the best thing you like about your organization? ?

Wow, what a powerful question…..

Now, this is an open-ended question through this question, you are hitting multiple targets.?

A.???You have done your homework to know about the interviewer, you have already gained brownie points there

B.???You are appreciating the interviewer for his tenure of service in the organization

C.???And you are trying a get the interviewer’s perspective about the organization ?

This is a very effective technique for building that rapport or connecting with your potential employer or maybe your future manager. ?

Any interviewer will be thrilled to talk about his or her journey and success, isn’t it??

2.????Can you tell me a little about the culture of your organization??

It is important to ask the culture-specific question because this gives interviewers a chance to talk about themselves and about their organization.

Through this, the interviewer can sometimes share his honest opinion about his time in the organization, and this will give you an idea about how things are valued and perceived in the organization.

Beyond anything would you not want to know about the culture? I mean you going to spend most of your day at this place.?

3.????Can you describe a typical day in this role??

This indicates that you are interested and trying to know about your expectation and want to know the granular details of the job you will probably perform. ?

4.????What are your expectations from me as an employee? Or Can you tell me what is expected of me in the next 30/60 and 90 days and eventually after a year.?

This shows that you are already considering yourself working and planning your career by setting goals for yourself that are aligned with your employer. You are setting small term goals and long-term goals. This talks a lot about personality.?

5.????IF I am successful, when can I expect some feedback or what are the next steps in the process.?

Remember, Never leave the interview without knowing where are you going next. It is important that you enquire about the next steps and understand the timelines. ?

So, if you notice, in your questions, you have covered knowing about, Culture, Role, and growth, and I personally feel these are very important factors for you to determine your next employer.?

Bonus Tip: Always leave a thank you, either by email, phone, or social media ideally the same or the next day at least. In your thank-you note,?

1.?????Thank the interviewer for the opportunity provided

2.????Specify something nice about the interview discussion

3.????State that you look forward to more interaction ?

Leave a comment and let me know what area of interview question you want me to share insights.