Questions You Should Ask at Interview

An interview isn’t just a chance for the hiring manager to find out more about you, it’s also your opportunity to find out whether the role and the organisation is right for you. In this article, we’ll look at some of the key areas to consider when preparing questions for your potential employer. Read on to ensure your next role is a great fit.

Company Culture

We recommend focusing your questions primarily with the company culture in mind. It’s not always easy to surmise in one interview but asking the right questions might give you a good idea of what working there might be like.?Try posing questions, such as:

• What efforts have been made to create an inclusive culture?
• How does the company ensure there is a sense of community even when people are working remotely?
• Can you tell me about the last team event you did together?
• How did you support your team during the Covid pandemic?

Role Responsibilities

Use the specification, or information gained from the interview itself, to drill down into the detail. Some more general questions could include:

• What are the most immediate challenges that need to be addressed?
• Why is this role available?
• Do you expect the main responsibilities for this position to change in the next six months to a year?

Work Environment

Asking about the environment is particularly crucial now we’ve undergone such change over the past few years. Whether it’s remote, hybrid or office/site based, make sure you’re aware of the possibilities and expectations. You could the following as a starting point:

• ?What equipment is provided for me to carry out the role?
• Is the hybrid working model flexible or does it follow a pattern for the team or individual?
• Who would I contact if I needed something for my work environment?
• What are your expectations of my homeworking environment?

Training and Development

Consider whether the role will help you achieve your career goals and how you will be supported along the way. It is likely that learning and development will be discussed at interview but if you’re uncertain about something it’s always best to ask. The following are some of many queries you could put to your interviewer:

• What is the format of your initial training?
• What training programs are available to your employees?
• Could I have an appointed mentor?
• What does a personal development plan look like here?

Performance Monitoring and Expectations

Understanding how your potential manager will measure your success is key in both understanding the company priorities, as well as their managerial style so it’s important to find out the following:

• What are the most important things you’d like to see someone accomplish in the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job?
• What is the review process?like here? How often would I be formally reviewed?
• How do you measure remote productivity and performance?

The Company

Though the amount of information the interviewer can share may be limited, it is important to learn about the company itself as well as its direction.

• Where are your hiring plans focused?
• What gets you most excited about the company’s future?
• Why should I join this organisation over your competitors?
• How does my role and performance contribute to the company achieving its goals?
• What information do you share with the team on performance of the department and company?

The Team

Ask some team-specific questions to find out whether it’s the right team for you:

• What is the teams current biggest challenge?
• Can you tell me more about my direct colleague/reports?
• Who will I report to directly?
• What will my colleagues expect of me?
• How does the team discuss areas for improvement?

Before completing your interview, make sure the interviewer has all of the information they need and that you’re clear on the next steps. Following your interview, consider whether your potential employer is someone that you can envisage working with. Pay close attention to how the interviewer treated you throughout the interview process. Did you get a good feeling from the person? Are they someone you can imagine going to with any problems or questions you might have? It’s very important to trust your instincts.

MD’s Comment: For many, interviews are seen as a way of an organisation assessing your fit for their team, however I see it the other way, it’s the employers opportunity to show how they fit your needs and aspirations. Ahead of your interview, alongside your research into the organisation, take time to consider what you need and expect from an employer and really try and drill down on what type of environment and culture works best for you to perform at your best. Listen carefully to the responses you get to your questions, pay attention to hesitancy or vagueness and ask further question(s) to clarify. With topics such as career development ask for examples of current employees who have followed the same path. Finally, does everything match up? You may be interviewed by the best example of a manager in the organisation, so does the rest of the organisation follow the same outlook, behaviours and values? Ask yourself… Did the Receptionist display these values? Did the team members I met? What do the on-line reviews on LinkedIn, Glassdoor, Facebook etc. say?