Did you know that a job interview goes both ways? You are actually in the question asking seat too. Believe it or not, but you get to decide if you want the job just as much as the hiring manager gets to decide if they want you for the job.
We get so focused on getting a job offer, we forget that we have control where we work and how we work. You can decide if the company and role on offer suits you, and you can reject any job offer if it does not.
But, how do you know if the role and company works in your favour. Well, you firstly need to ask yourself some hard questions:
What are my career goals? What do I want to get out of my work? What kind of management style do I work best under? What kind of company culture do I want to work in? What are my values and what values would I want the company to work for have? Do I want a role that will open me up to career growth and learning? What working hours suit me? What salary am I looking for?
These are all fairly big questions to ask. Will you be able to find a job that ticks every box of yours? Perhaps not, so then you need to sort out what is negotiable and non-negotiable on that list. Perhaps you are happy to take charge of your own learning and development and a positive working culture is more important. Whatever it may be, figure out what you need and then, base your questions around that. Make sure you get the answers you are looking for to help determine if the role aligns with you.
“Can you tell me what the manager for this department is like and their management style?”
“Can you let me know what the company culture is like?”
“What programs do you have in place for career development and learning?”
“What career growth opportunities are there?”
“How open are you to hearing staff feedback?”
“Why is this role available?”
“Can you tell me if staff have a chance to be part of the charity work this company does?”
Need more? We have a free guide you can download here. 65 Interview Questions. We have broken down the questions into various key importance such as company culture, management style, learning and development and more.
If you need help with your interview skills, then check out our Interview Coaching Services. We specialise in interview training and personalise every coaching session to ensure you get what you need to increase your chances of success. All our clients walk away feeling more confident, knowledgeable in their interview abilities and get multiple job offers.
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How many questions should I ask an interviewer?
Try to prepare three to five questions before your interview. You might not get the chance to ask all of them, and that’s fine. Think about what you really want to know about the job and the company. If the interviewer has already answered one of your questions, you can simply move on to the next.
What if the interviewer has already answered all my questions?
That’s okay. You can simply say they’ve already covered most of what you wanted to know. If there’s something you’d like them to explain a bit more, you can ask about it. There’s no need to think of another question just because you feel you should ask something.
Is it okay to ask about salary during a job interview?
Yes, there’s nothing wrong with asking about salary. After all, you need to know whether the pay will work for you. You might feel more comfortable asking the recruiter or bringing it up later in the interview process. Either way, it’s reasonable to know what the salary is before deciding whether to accept the job.
Can I bring a list of questions to my job interview?
Absolutely. You don’t have to remember everything off the top of your head. Write down a few questions beforehand and bring them with you. If you get nervous or forget what you wanted to ask, you can always check your notes when it’s your turn to ask questions.
How can I tell if an employer’s answers are a warning sign?
Pay attention to how the interviewer answers your questions. Are they clear about what the job involves? Do their answers match what you’ve been told so far? If they avoid certain questions or give you different answers, it might be worth asking a little more. It doesn’t always mean something is wrong, but you want to understand what you’re agreeing to before accepting the job.
Should I ask different questions during a second job interview?
Yes, especially if you’ve already covered the basics in your first interview. The second interview is a good chance to ask more about the role, who you’ll be working with and what’s expected of you. You could also ask what your first few months might look like or how the team usually works together.
