Do you always have Interview questions ready??

23 Comments

1. AnonymousNovember 12,2021 at 2:01PM UTC

   I love to ask them about:

   1. Their commitments to DEIB, and other culture-based questions. That is something extremely important to me!
   2. What drew them to the company and why they work there.

2. Tomilyn RichardsNovember 12,2021 at 2:43PM UTC

   Both great questions!!!

3. Lesa Edwards, Career Coach & Master Resume WriterNovember 12,2021 at 3:27PM UTC

   Preach it, Tomilyn! I teach my clients to create their questions organically, from their research on the company, the industry, the competition - rather than asking generic questions they ask of every employer.

4. Tomilyn RichardsNovember 12,2021 at 3:52PM UTC

   Yes Lesa!!! You can always tell when someone has a real need to fact find or if they are just asking to ask. I do very much understand not everyone gets interview prep. I do try to prep candidate prior to a Hiring Manager if this area falls short. I want them to really have a quality experience and get some confidence that it is AOK to ask questions!!

5. MaryNovember 12,2021 at 4:05PM UTC

   YES! I am always more interested in a candidate who has done the research and shows me that they have taken the time to find out about the company. Candidate questions about their learning are "major points".

6. Käte DavisNovember 12,2021 at 3:47PM UTC

   I always ask the interviewer what their biggest pet peeve is. I find it's very telling to know if I can work for or with someone. Great post!

7. Tomilyn RichardsNovember 12,2021 at 3:50PM UTC

   Yes... this is so good. I have been asked that question and it stumps me and makes me think. =)

8. Sarah MuddNovember 12,2021 at 3:59PM UTC

   I also like the question, "is there anything about me as a candidate that gives you reservations?" Great chance to squash those!

9. Tomilyn RichardsNovember 12,2021 at 9:24PM UTC

   This is one I LOVE! You are right there to offer feedback and potentially change a misunderstanding. This is solid!!

10. Barb HansenNovember 12,2021 at 4:17PM UTC

    I have a set of about 10 "questions to ask the interviewer" questions that I bring into an interview and I usually try to ask 4 to 6 of those 10 questions.

    I like to have a list of more questions that I would ever ask because sometimes one or more of your questions will be asked by the Interviewer.

    Here is one of my favorites:

    What can I do in the next 30 to 60 days in this position to really impress you?

    I like this question because it gets the interviewer thinking about me in the job.

11. Danielle SimonNovember 12,2021 at 5:59PM UTC

    I quit being afraid of what people tend to think are no-no's. If you don't ask about salary early, you're potentially wasting your time and theirs. I'm also done with working in the office or being chained to a desk/seat for 8 out of 9 hours starting at 8am just because of tradition, even if I don't have anything to do. I'm not happy with these kinds of jobs, and they don't suit my personality. Those are the set things I will ask about.

    Then there are questions that depend on what they bring up during the interview process. If one interviewer says something that raises a potential red flag for me, I will either address it with a question with them or ask the next interviewer. I interviewed with one place that has everything you can think of on-site, including a doctor. That prompted me to ask if the reason why they make it so you never have to leave the site for anything is because...you will never have time to leave the site for anything, i.e. work-life balance and unrealistic work expectations and hours/being overworked.

12. AnonymousNovember 13,2021 at 1:00AM UTC

    Always.

13. Emmy BemmyNovember 13,2021 at 7:28PM UTC

    I ask the standard/generic "what do you like most about working here?", "what would you change if you could?" "what does success look like in this job?" "what do you hope the next person in this role brings to the organization?" "do you have any concerns with my candidacy? "

    I also usually have a few industry/company specific questions that are based on research before the interview. I try to have at least 2 - 3 very specific questions that are tailored to the interviewing organization.

    I agree --- I hate it when candidates don't have thoughtful questions... it just shows they haven't really thought about the job/company, in depth.

14. Cheryl NeasNovember 14,2021 at 1:31PM UTC

    If it hasn’t already come up, I ask why this position is open and why they are hiring for it now; whether it is new; and if not new, whether they have changed it since the last person left and if so how. Those questions give me a lot of insight into how they are thinking about this job as part of a team, if there is opportunity for internal mobility, and the overall strategy of the team/organization. And then I can reiterate ways that I can contribute (or come up with new ones!).

15. Kelly LeBlancNovember 14,2021 at 2:01PM UTC

    I find that during the best interviews the questions we are told to ask are answered without asking. They are part of the conversation. So I tend to focus on asking questions about the company and people that will help me determine if I can and will be happy working there. You can find out about their culture online. Their values are usually there as well. I ask questions to see if they walk the walk or if they are all talk.

16. DanielleNovember 14,2021 at 3:23PM UTC

    I always ask “Do you have any concerns or questions about my experience or resume I can clear up now?”. It gives the interviewer some clarity and I know what I’m up against.

17. JenniferDecember 3,2021 at 1:44PM UTC

    As someone who interviews a lot of folks, I also make sure to end interviews by letting someone know "I want you to hear from me, I am endorsing your candidacy" or something like that when I have minimal or no concerns, so they know they nailed it. I want them to feel positive leaving the interview with me, knowing they could not have done better.

18. TheodoraNovember 14,2021 at 4:40PM UTC

    Absolutely, I always show up with a list of questions. One question that I really think is important to ask is how long the interviewer has been with the company. I then go on to ask about the length of time the people I would be working with and reporting to have been with the company. It gives insight into the company’s turnover rate. It would be a red flag for me if everyone is a newbie.

19. Liz MilneNovember 15,2021 at 1:29AM UTC

    Ugh, this is why I struggle with interviews! I can never think of anything to ask, and on the few occasions I've planned ahead, they've answered all my questions when telling me about the job!

20. Tomilyn RichardsNovember 15,2021 at 11:44AM UTC

    Yes, I can understand that. Questions can be as simple as... Why do you love working there? What initiatives has the company committed to as it relates to Safety, Sustainability, Inclusion... What type of training is offered and ongoing learning? Tell me about the Senior Leadership, what is their management/leadership style? I like the question... If there is one thing you would change about the company, what would that be? this gives the recruiter/manager an opportunity to admit that they aren't perfect, and maybe share some flaws or areas of improvement. =)

21. Liz MilneNovember 15,2021 at 10:49PM UTC

    Haha, knowing my luck I'd get the: 'Let me tell you about myself and why I love working here, what my goals are, and why we're interviewing for this position! Then I'll walk you through the training the successful candidate will need, and the office structure. If we have time I'll introduce you to [Whoever] and [Whoever] who are the managers here. As I said, I love this job - well, maybe aside from the coffee machine which is dire - and wouldn't change a thing about it! Now, do you have any questions?' and then I'd be like... 'Ahhhhh. No, I think you've covered it all!'
    (lmao!)

22. Karen GongawareNovember 15,2021 at 3:09PM UTC

    If it is the person I will be working with in my department/field I always ask them to describe their ideal candidate, what do they love the most about working for the company, what would they like to see me accomplish in the first 90 days, and does the company support continuing education/training in the field (and do they pay for it). If it is HR, it is the normal questions of pay, benefits, etc. as HR does not know or work in that field. I am not going to ask someone in HR what their policy is concerning a client who presents as Bi-polar 2 and may be a danger to self or others.

23. Angie Lawson BlumeNovember 16,2021 at 1:34PM UTC

    What would my first 30-60-90 days look like? If you had a punch list of five things to be accomplished within the first 90 days, what would they be? Describe your leadership style. All three of these can be challenging for a hiring manager to answer if they haven't thought out the position well.