Synopsis
- What to ask your prospective employer in an interview
- Some great questions you can ask your interviewer
- How to ace your interview with some killer questions for your interviewer
You might think this article is peculiar, right? Usually, an interviewer asks the questions and not the candidate. However, there are questions to ask your interviewer too.
An interview is more of an opportunity for the company to get to know you better. By the time you reach the interview stage, the interviewer already has an idea of your academic performance, your experience and extracurricular talents, through your printed resume.
So, what the interviewer will try to gauge from an interview is your character, confidence, knowledge and other social skills.
Once you have completed your interview, it will be an added advantage to ask unique interview questions to the employer.
Asking these questions will show the interviewer how confident you are. You may wonder what to ask your interviewer? Well, here are some killer interview questions to ask employers
1. What Is Expected from Me on The Job?
You can ask your interviewer what the company expects from you on the job. Does your role involve paperwork or more a site visit kind of job? Ask your interviewer what the company wants you to take on.
In answer to this, some interviewers may startle you with a long list of responsibilities. Do not show an expression of shock or worry at the long list of responsibilities. It is advisable to listen to these instructions with approval.
You can break down this question and ask the employer what is expected from you in the next 30, 60 and 90 days on the job?
2. What Does a Day in The Office Look Like?
One of the questions to ask your interviewer is about a typical day in the office. It is good to know the functioning of a normal day in the office. This gives you a rough idea of how your day would look like.
3. What Are My Growth Opportunities in The Company?
You can ask the interviewer what are your opportunities to grow in the company. Asking this question will show your interest in the company’s work.
You can also add that your personal growth in the company will definitely result in the company growth. It is good to make the interviewer aware that you are interested in growing in the company. This gives a sense of belonging and bonding with the company.
4. Will I Be Replacing Anyone or Starting a New Role in The Office?
This is one of the good interview questions to ask employers. Knowing the answer to this question helps you to understand if you will be taking over the job from a previous employee or starting an altogether new role in the office.
Taking over from someone else will give you the opportunity to prove yourself a better asset to the company and starting a new role will allow you to be innovative and add value to your new position in the company.
In case you are taking over from a previous employee, then you can inquire about the whereabouts about the previous employee and why he left the employment of the company.
This gives you an idea about the development and progression of employees in the company. It allows you to gauge the training process in the company and the kind of support the company gives employees to grow.
5. What Are the Companies Take on The New Government Policies?
Before you ask the interviewer a question on government policies, make sure you are aware of all the current affairs related to the Government policies and regulations regarding the company.
Asking this question will show your employer that you are up to date with current affairs. You can also contribute your own opinion. This will communicate your in depth knowledge on the subject and impress your interviewer.
You May Also Like 8 Reasons Why Government Jobs Are the Best!
6. Is It a Formal or Informal Work Culture in The Office?
Nowadays, working environments are shifting more towards an informal work culture rather than a formal work culture.
A formal work culture includes certain aspects like specific seating arrangements, written communication is standardized and employees dress formally.
Whereas, in an informal workplace people dress more to feel comfortable rather than to look sophisticated. Employees are not required to sit at an assigned desk. They can move around freely and sit in any zone in the office to do their work, like a garden or even a cafeteria.
There is no right or wrong working culture, but knowing which type of working environment you will be a part of can help you prepare better for your days of work ahead.
It is a good interview question to ask your employer because it helps you prepare yourself, whether it means being wardrobe ready for the office or practicing formal salutations to your fellow colleagues.
7. Does the Company Follow Team Work or Individual Working Policy?
Usually, an interviewer would answer that the company follows team work policy. Research has also shown that teamwork provides better results for organisations than individual work.
If the company follows a team work kind of atmosphere you may have to sharpen your intercommunication skills.
Knowing how to interact with others and work harmoniously with different departments within and outside the company will go a long way to help you prosper in your career.
8. Can You Brief Me About the Team I Will Be Working With?
You can ask the interviewer if you can meet some of your peers or colleagues you will be interacting more with. This helps you to get a first person perspective of the office culture.
9. Who Will I Be Reporting To?
Another good question to ask your interviewer is who you will be reporting to. Being introduced to the person you will be reporting your activities to helps you understand what to expect. Usually a single meeting may not be enough to gauge a person, but it will give you a rough idea.
10. Can You Tell Me About the Companies Genesis?
This is one of the killer interview questions to ask employers. Even though you have already read up about the company profile before attending the interview, it is nice to ask the employer about the company and its founding members.
When you ask this question it gives a positive impression about you. It shows that you are genuinely interested in the company and its well being.
11. Are There Any New Products in The Pipeline?
Ask your interviewer about any new products or services the company may have plans about. You can contribute your own information to show that you are genuinely interested in raising the standards of the company.
12. What Are the Future Plans of The Company?
When you are at a stage in the interview where you do not know what to ask your interviewer, the simplest question that you can come up with is what are the future plans of the company?
You can ask about any expansions, branches or franchisees of the company . You can also enquire about any recent or prospective takeovers or mergers related to the company.
Here, you can also speak of similar companies that have recently undergone some change in management or administration. It shows your interviewer that you are in line with current affairs.
13. Does the Company Have Any Unique Systems or Practices?
Ask your interviewer if the company has any unique processes that they follow to achieve company goals. For example, some companies hold weekly meetings or communication forms required to be filled by employees to check the progress of assignments.
Each company may follow their own unique methods to achieve its goals. Finding about these methods gives you a realistic picture of what is expected from you.
14. How Long Have You Been with The Company?
Another good question to ask the interviewer is how long he has been with the company. An interviewer or employer of the company is usually associated with the company for a long duration.
An interviewer may have also been on your side of the desk just a few years ago. Knowing how long the interviewer has been working with the company can give you an idea of how long it takes to climb up the career ladder in the company. It becomes a motivating factor for many.
15. Have You Donned Different Roles in The Company?
You can ask your interviewer if he/she has played different roles in the company. From this you can come to know the kind of job versatility the company offers to employees.
16. What Was Your Job Profile Before Joining This Company?
Ask your employer what his job profile was before joining this company. Was he a fresher to the company or employed in a different company before joining this company.
17. What Are the Rules Regarding Disclosure?
Usually companies follow a strict policy of non disclosure. That is, employees are legally bound to not disclose any information regarding the company to any outsider.
It is better if you are clear about all the formalities before you take up the job. Enquire about all the legally binding contracts you have to sign, its limitations and its time period before joining the company.
18. How Will My Performance in The Company Be Evaluated?
One of the best killer interview questions to ask employers is how will your performance in the company be evaluated. Many companies have appraisals from time to time to time.
An appraisal at work can be defined as an opportunity to evaluate your performance at work. In an appraisal, employees are given an opportunity to speak with employers and talk about your future plans and goals and current projects you are attending to in the company.
Appraisals are used to evaluate an employee’s current pay scales, bonuses, increments and other incentives.
It is a good idea to ask your interviewer what kind of appraisal methods the company adopts to evaluate the performance of employees.
19. What Is the Training Process?
Companies usually train fresh candidates on the job before fully employing them. This period is known as probationary period.
The probationary period is that time where the candidates are trained in a particular or all tasks required to be fulfilled by the candidate during the course of employment with the company.
On completion of the probationary period, candidates may be wholly absorbed by the company as employees with all the benefits.
Enquire about the training process the company follows. Some companies require candidates to relocate to the training facility of the company that could mean relocating to a different city altogether. Know all your facts before you enter into a contract with the company.
20. What Are Some of The Challenges I Will Be Facing?
Though many challenges are unforeseen, a good question to ask your interviewer is if there are any known challenges you might face as an employee of the company?
The interviewer is usually a person who has been with the company for a very long time and knows the working ways of the company.
The interviewer might be aware of the challenges many employees face during their tenure with the company. Your interviewer might be able to help you understand some of these challenges.
21. Are There Any Special Soft Skills You Are Looking for ?
Soft skills are basically social skills coupled with personality and communication skills. Your interviewer is aware of your academic credentials.
However social skills is something that can not be measured at a single interview. You can ask your interviewer what social skills the company expects from you. Once you know what the company expects, you can sharpen those skills.
These are some of the good questions to ask employers during an interview. However there are certain questions to ask at the end of an interview. Let’s look at some of these questions
22. What Are the Next Steps I Must Follow After This Interview?
An interview may not mean that the job is yours. It is just one of the steps to securing the job. You can ask the interviewer what are the next steps you should follow.
23. What Are the Policies Regarding Leave?
Although this question might prove a bit negative to the interviewer as it gives a picture that you are already thinking of the leave and holidays, it is advisable to ask this question so that you get an idea of the rules and regulations right from the beginning.
Enquire about the company policies regarding leave and holidays so that you can plan your days ahead well in advance.
24. Is There Any Other Information You Would Like to Know About Me Personally or Professionally?
Ask your employer if there is anything more they would like to know before they end this interview. Sometimes personal questions about family life are a taboo at interviews.
It is best to let your employer know that you are open to personal and professional questions. Let your employer know that you are comfortable answering any question that they may want to put forth.
25. Do You Have Any Apprehensions Regarding My Employment with This Company?
One of the best questions to ask at the end of an interview is whether the company has any apprehensions or any doubts about your capabilities as an employee of the company?
Answering this question positively can negate all the apprehensions or worries the interviewer may have while assessing you at the interview.
Conclusion
Interviews can be frightening. Only because it may be the first time you are facing a panel of interviewers or your prospective employer.
Remember, an interview is just the beginning of your career. You will face many more similar interactions in the years to come.
An interview is more or less the last stage before your employment. There are others in the race for the same job profile.
So make sure you stand out. Ask your interviewer some of these killer questions and be one up against your rivals. Be confident and you will ace your interview.