When in an interview, you are grilled about your abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. An important thing to remember when preparing for the barrage of questions, is to have a list of your own. While your potential employer is asking you questions to learn about you and your skills, you in return need to have questions prepared to ask about the position, company, and your potential boss. If at the end of the interview you have no questions for the interviewer, you run the risk of them assuming you are uninterested, or worse, unprepared.
It is recommended to prepare at least two or three questions that demonstrate your interest in the position, as well as questions that show you’ve done some due diligence in looking into the company, industry, and/or staff. Make sure the questions don’t just repeat what the interviewer has already told you, but dives a little deeper into the role and company.
Some examples of good questions are:
- Describe the culture of the company.
- What do you like best about working for this company?
- What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
- What are the biggest challenges of this job?
You don’t want to ask questions that are too broad that will stump the interviewer, but at the same time you don’t want a whole bunch of yes/no questions either. Ask one question at a time, about multiple topics, and lastly, keep it professional. Don’t delve into personal questions and/or anecdotes in the interview. You can tell the hilarious story about your son Timmy’s bar mitzvah after you are hired.
Inquiring gives you an opportunity to further highlight some of your skills and qualifications. Asking thought out questions allows you to impress your potential employer, while at the same time, determining if it is the right job for you.
