How Do You Know If They're Right For YOU? - Top 5 Interview Questions

As we all know, interviewing can be a pretty stressful experience. For some, it’s a walk in the park, for most, it is not.

It can feel like you are a performing monkey competing against an unknown jostling crowd of competitors for the role, all trying your darndest to impress what seems to be a hard-bitten bunch of hiring managers casting their judgment from above.

The reality is, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Instead, you are competing with nobody but yourself, and to show yourself in your best light you need to be authentic to yourself, to who you are, what you represent, and most importantly what you are looking for in your next role.

That’s what I’m going to focus on today...

Not how you can represent yourself as best as possible (maybe a story for another day…), but how you ensure that the employer you are interviewing with is the right one for you. You can do this by asking the best, and fairest, questions for the situation (which funnily enough, can show you in a pretty good light!).

You wouldn’t believe how often a hiring manager is blown away by someone’s ability to ask the right questions.

You probably would believe how much easier it is for you to make the right decision having asked these questions.

Of course, it's worth noting what questions you want to ask to depend on what’s important to you as a candidate! So, it's no size fits all...

So below, I am going to give you my top 5 interview questions, and why they’re so important!

no1. What is the current team setup, and where do you see this role fitting into that?/What is the current set-up of the team I would be joining?

This question will allow you to gain insight into your hiring manager and the team they oversee;

• You will find out more about who you’ll be working alongside, potentially learning from, or mentoring.
• It will also allow you to hear how a manager speaks about their team, and how comfortable they are walking you through it.
• It can open up opportunities for you to ask follow up questions and show your interest.

no2. Why did you join? /Why do you work here?/Why have you stayed?

These are some of the best questions you can ask a line manager or potential future colleague. It will allow you to not only find out what this company has offered pre-existing members of your direct team, but it will also allow you to find out what motivates the people whom you will spend a tremendous amount of your time with which is important! For example.

• ‘I have stayed with *Example company* because they have allowed me to develop both professionally, and personally into the person I am today. They are flexible & empathetic when it comes to my life outside of work and whilst also running socials for the team to all get-together!’ – For most people, this would be a good thing to hear. You’ve gained key insights into not only what life can be like at this company, but the team you may find yourself joining!?

no3. What would I have done over the first 12 months to have been classed a good hire for your team?

This is another favourite of mine…once again this not only encourages the hiring manager to imagine you in the role, it also;

• Encourages the hiring manager to imagine you doing a good job within the role
• Gives you a good idea of what the first year would look like in the role, providing more key insight into what life would look like within the company

no4. What are the future plans/roadmaps for this team?

• This is a great way for you to gain an understanding of what not only what your role will be in the coming months/years. But it also allows you to clarify that this team has aspirations, and you won't find yourself twiddling your thumbs or sitting on projects you have no interest in 6 months down the line!

no5. ‘What traits do you look for in a successful candidate?’/’What skills do you think I possess to be successful in this business?’

Asking this towards the end of an interview process can do a number of things:

• Firstly, it can allow you to gain key insights into what this organisation looks for, which will, in turn, give you a better idea of how you would feel working for them?– and whether the traits or skills you feel you don’t have, are areas you would like to work on or not.
• It encourages the hiring manager to say, out loud, what may be a number of traits you both know you have. This can confirm in their minds that you are indeed a good match for their expectations

You may notice, all these questions are open-ended and have the purpose of you gaining valuable insights into the company that you are hoping to join. The main purpose of which is to establish whether it is in fact what you are looking for, or not, which is also fine.

Top Tip;

When interviewing the most important thing to remember is that it is, in fact, a two way street. You are not there with the sole purpose of impressing the team, though, you always want to put your best foot forward…You are there to make sure that the role and business are the right fit for you and your future. If they’re not, make sure to let your recruiter know, communicate what wasn’t right and what was right. Politely communicate what wasn’t to your liking and move on. Recruiters want to hear how you found things so they can make sure they're putting the right things in front of you in the future and it is as anticipated as your feedback from the employer.?