The Top Five Questions You Should Ask at Job Interview
Hiring expert explains how you can wow potential employers with your interview queries
Most job interviews end the same way: With the employer asking the interviewee, “So, do you have any questions for me?”
If you're smart, says hiring expert Rob Wilson, president of Employco USA, the answer to that question is always a resounding "yes."
“People often mistakenly think that having no questions makes them appear like a team-player or an easygoing person. In fact, it makes them look dull and disinterested in the company," Wilson says. "Always, always ask questions when given the chance."
Here are Wilson’s suggestions for the five questions to ask a potential employer during an interview:
1. What can you tell me about your new products or plans for growth? “This question shows that you care about the company’s future and that you are self-driven and an innovator,” says Wilson.
2. How does the company measure success? “You can’t impress your boss if you don’t know what impresses him! This question proves that you want to give you 110% and that you want to help the company grow and thrive.”
3. If offered the position, can you give me examples of ways I would collaborate with my manager? “It’s important to know how you will be working within the company. This question is just as much for you as it is for them.”
4. Can you give me some examples of the most and least desirable aspects of the company’s culture? “Instead of asking, ‘Hey, do we get summer hours?’ try this question. It shows that you are interested in learning what it will be like to work within the company, without making it seem like all you care about is sick days and raises.”
5. Where is the last person who held this job moving on to? “This might seem like a personal question, but it is actually a fair question. Is the person being promoted within the company? Are they changing career tacks? Are they leaving the company happy and satisfied? Learning this information will be invaluable to you.”