The subtle art of: Asking a good question

Hiring Team: "Do you have any questions for us?"

Candidate: *staring awkwardly into middle space* "...uh. Do you have cake on people's birthdays?"

Hiring Team: "...Thank you. We'll be in touch."

But they won't be in touch, will they? You're likely to walk out of that room wondering if this is a Black Forest or Vanilla Cream kind of place, all the while feeling that something isn't quite right. And while you can't say for sure that something is amiss...something definitely IS amiss. And it's not the cake.

In a previous post , I shared tips about how to better represent yourself in an interview. The simple fact is, when preparing for an interview there's a lot of focus on the interview questions themselves, and for obvious reasons...it's an interview. But while there are questions being asked OF YOU as a candidate, there are also the questions being asked BY YOU as a potential future employee. And while we previously focused on how to answer the interview questions themselves, we didn't go into depth about how you can ask good questions yourself. I appreciate that it may be difficult to know where to start, so let's begin by looking at things that would legitimately be of interest if you got the job. Ask about the current and future state of the business, large scale capital expenditures that could potentially challenge you in the next 3, 6 or 9 months. Ask about the culture of the company, the department or the team (and yes, that might include birthday cake, but it's unlikely to be identified as a core value). Treat this time with the importance it deserves not only because it's an opportunity, but because it's one of the few places where you get to take back some control. Use it wisely.

Now, some tips, because it's likely why you're here. The questions you ask may be what puts you over and can set the tone for your future relationship with an employer. So, some examples may be, and in no particular order:

• What makes your company different from its competitors? Is it their core values? Do they have a focus on people or community? Are they passionate about the mental well-being of their employees? Do they have flexible work schedules? Do they have programs or policies that encourage growth for their people or effective work/life balance?
• What are the core competencies that have proven successful for those who exceed expectations in this role?
• What does success look like? What KPI's are used to measure it?
• Are they prepared to invest in a new person and if so, what does that look like?
• Don't just ask how long somebody has been at the company, ask what keeps them there.
• And for bonus points: Are there any further questions you have for me? Are there areas that I can clarify? Do you have concerns about any of my answers?

That last question can be a critical turning point. You need to remember that you are dealing with people when you're being interviewed, and some people struggle to ask tough questions. And yes, it goes without saying that not having the ability to ask tough questions is a shortcoming of an interviewer, but it's also a learned skill. It may be that they are new to interviewing or it might be that they're uncomfortable grilling people under hot lights! Regardless of the reason, I've seen countless times when a candidate has given an answer that has raised a potential red-flag and the interviewer (panel or person) has not probed to get to the root of it. This means YOU didn't get a chance to clarify your answer...if indeed a clarification was required. However, if you are confident in your answers, your resume, your experience, your ability, and your truthfulness, ensure that you allow that interviewer to ask an uncomfortable question in a comfortable way. If you have an opportunity to clarify something that raises a concern for a decision maker, you owe it to yourself to make sure that you were clear and understood. In asking this question you not only represent yourself well you show that you're engaged and motivated.

Lastly, prepare. Be present. Ask open ended questions. Listen with intent.

As with everything I post, these are not the thoughts of my employer, nor are they a set of rules used to help you manipulate a system. Rather, these are a good practice and are based purely on my experiences and preferences. Your experiences may vary and if they do? I hope you'll add a comment and let's strike up a conversation about it.

Best of luck in your job search.