Unexpected But Super Effective Questions to Ask Your Interviewer

Having a job interview can be nerve-racking but, as we often hear, an interview should be a two-way conversation. The outcome of the conversation can affect a lot like where you live, what you wear, what you earn, and so much more.

It's understandable to feel like your world hinges on your ability to articulate and show that you are the best person for the job and team. Asking questions in an interview, however, puts the power back in your hands.

But before you starting asking away, you need to know what you want to find out. After that, you can frame the question in an open-ended, positive way to elicit an enlightening response. I recommend asking questions related to different themes to get a more comprehensive picture. The questions you ask can be about training and professional development, the corporate culture, the company, job duties, job performance, the team, the company, or the interviewers themselves. For example, if you know that one aspect of the job opportunity is particularly important to you, such as career development, then you’d want most of your questions to fall under the job performance and training and professional development themes.

The following are some examples of great-unexpected questions.

Have you ever worked for a company that offered better training and professional development options? Based on the value that you understand I’d bring to the team, what do you think I would enjoy most about the companies training and professional development?

Can you tell me something fabulous about the company’s wellness culture that I might not have come across in my secondary research? When was the last time the team got together to do something special?

Is there anything that makes you think that I wouldn’t exceed your expectations within my first 60 days?

When was the last time the Key Performance Indicators we're updated for this role? How can my skills benefit some of the needs the company has now?

I’d love to learn about some of your most successful employees. What soft-skills contribute to their brilliance?

I’ve done some research on the company's competitors, and I’d love to know how you consider this company to be better.

If you got offered a similar role with a competitor located closer to your home, would you take it? Is there any other job you’d rather be doing?

Who do you think would be the ideal candidate for this position, and how do I compare? Can you tell me what steps need to be completed before your company can generate an offer?

Happy conversating and all the best in your interview!

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