About 10 minutes before the interview's scheduled end, I would ask each candidate whether they had any questions. I was always curious as to what questions would be of interest to this particular candidate. My goal for the interview was to assess whether the candidate was a good fit for the role, but I also wanted the candidate to do the same. A mutual good fit, I always felt, was necessary for long-term success in the role.

I think I have heard every question that interviewees could ask. Some were insightful and thought-provoking. Others were shallow and, frankly, a waste of time.

Take the time to prepare good questions for the interviewer. Not only will you get important answers to judge whether this employer would be an excellent place to work, but your questions also may play a factor in how an interviewer assesses you. All things being equal, if you ask excellent questions where you can show your smarts, emotional intelligence, and curiosity, you could demonstrate that you have the attributes that give you an advantage over your competition.

What Not To Ask

Let's first start with what not to do. First and foremost, do not come to an interview without at least a few prepared questions. There is nothing more of a turnoff in an interview than to ask whether the candidate has any questions and get a big n-o. No matter if it is a contract, part-time, or full-time position, don't you want to know something more about the job you will be doing? If you do not ask questions, how will you know if the job is the right one for you? If you aren't interested in finding out more, you tell the interviewer that you aren't that interested in the position.

The second thing not to do is ask questions where the answer is readily available. This is very common, and it shows you have not considered the interview important enough to do your research. For example, please do not ask what the company does when the information is on their website's home page. If it is a public company, financial information will be available through quarterly earnings calls and annual reports, so do not ask those types of specifics. If you want to ask the interviewer more about the information you found, such as new areas for growth or the plans for expense reduction, those are fine topics.

Lastly, do not ask your interviews the same questions. If you have multiple interviewers, this is an opportunity to ask questions that might address the person's expertise. For HR, you might want to ask about culture or development. For the hiring manager, you might want to ask about day-to-day operations. For a potential peer, you might want to talk about collaboration. Mix it up to touch on different topics. Also, be aware that interviews often compare notes. If you ask the same question(s) to each interviewer, the group might question how this approach provides much additional insight. As a result, they might also question how you might handle getting information from various sources, which could be a significant part of your job.

So What Should You Ask?

There are so many different aspects of working at a job that can make the experience awful or great. What will be important to you may be different than what other people will value. That is why you need to be clear about the details of a job that are important to you. Once you know your priorities, then you can match these focus areas to areas that are paramount to you.

Here are some common areas to focus your questions. 

Day-to-day responsibilities

While your interviewer should be telling you about what you will do, the person may not go into as much detail as you need. You should leave the interview with clarity about what work is expected of you, so you can decide whether it is something you want to do and that you would excel doing.

Examples of questions in this category are as follows:

• What will be my primary responsibilities and secondary responsibilities?

• Are there any infrequent tasks that are also a part of this role?

• Can you break down the amount of time on average per week to do various tasks?

• How might these duties change over the next year?

Culture, Values, and Reputation

You do not work in a vacuum. Not only what you do but how you work will be dictated by the company culture and values. If the company has an entrepreneurial focus, you may be given great latitude to develop your own ideas. For a different type of company, this could be discouraged. You must understand the kind of company where you will thrive and seek information to judge whether this company has that environment.

• I have read about the company culture from the website. What would you add to that based upon your experience?

• If there were one thing you would change about the company culture, what would it be?

• What makes you feel the proudest about working here?

• In the marketplace, what do you see as the company's reputation? Do you believe it is accurate?

Overall Business Prospects

You need to understand the long-term prospects of the organization. If you are going to invest your time and efforts in the business, you want to make sure that it is doing well and has growth opportunities. No one wants to start a job to find out the company has financial issues that will necessitate layoffs.

• Has money been added to the operating budget this year, or have there been cuts? If there have been cuts, in what areas?

• What has the competition done over the past year that is a worry?

• What are some areas of growth that the company is exploring?

• What parts of the business are less profitable than upper management would like?

• What do you feel is the biggest challenge that the organization is currently facing?

Expectations

It is vital to have a clear understanding of what will be expected of you in terms of performance. You want to know this to evaluate the training and whether the expectations seem reasonable. You do not want to get in a situation where you feel the demands placed upon you, including work after hours, conflict with other priorities in your life.

• How long do you anticipate it taking a new person to be fully competent at this job?

• What does training look like for this position? How long do you expect it to take?

• How will I know whether I am meeting the hiring manager's expectations?

• What is your preference: for me to figure out something on my own or come to you when I am unsure?

Growth Opportunities

Employees are not looking to stay in the same position for their entire careers. Most want to see the prospect of getting additional responsibility and promotions. Here are some questions to gauge how the company/manager emphasizes internal growth.

• If someone was ready to move up the organization, how would that be assessed?

• Is there specific training available to improve one's skills, such as new software or soft skills?

• Tell me about the last person promoted within this department. What position did they go into, and what did they do to demonstrated they were ready?

• Are there opportunities to attend conferences, seminars, or other events to keep up-to-date with changes in my profession or this industry?

Getting to Know The People

You will want to have a good idea of how your organization's people interact with each other. Happiness in a role involves what you do and the relationships you develop with the people you interact with day in and out. Find out more about what to expect.

Here are questions to ask each group of employees.

Upper Management

• Can you tell me about a recent decision from upper management that was not overwhelmingly popular and how it was communicated?

• How do you motivate employees?

• What do you think the company does well in terms of operations, and what would you like to change?

• What do you think are the top two challenges for someone in your position?

Manager

• Tell me about a manager that you admire(d). What were some practices that you decided to emulate?

• How would you describe your management style?

• Accountability is important. How do you hold your team members accountable for getting their work completed on time and with good quality?

• What would be a realistic expectation of the weekly time needed to be put in to be considered an outstanding performer?

• At my previous employer, I was expected to be available in the evening and on weekends. Will that be the same here?

Peers

• Whom will I be working with most closely?

• How are conflicts handled on the team?

• What do you consider the most challenging part of your job?

• Can you tell me about a time when priorities changed? How was this communicated to the team and handled?

Direct Reports

• What do you like best about working here?

• Tell me about how you were onboarded? Did you think it was effective?

• What is one thing you would like to learn or know that you do not currently?

• What is one thing I could do that would make it better for you to work here?

Challenges to Success

Before you leave an interview, it is good to get an idea of any issues that the interviewer has with moving forward with you in the hiring process. That way, you have one last opportunity to overcome any objections.

• Is there anything in my background or experience that is a concern for you?

• Are there any topics that you did not get a chance to ask me?

Next Steps

It is essential to leave an interview with an idea of the next steps in the hiring process and when you should hear back. Make sure you ask.

• Will there be other interviews as part of the hiring process?

• When should I anticipate hearing back from the company? Whom should I expect to get back to me?

Compensation and Benefits

I left this category to last since asking about compensation or benefits can be a touchy subject. Some interviewers will not mind a question in this category if it is a smart one and nuanced for your situation. Other interviewers find questions about pay and benefits a real turnoff. Proceed with caution. Suppose something about salary or benefits is non-negotiable, and you need to know about this before investing additional time in the hiring process. In that case, you might want to ask your question. Please know that sometimes what is a "no" at the beginning of the process could be a "yes" or "maybe" further into the process, as the number of candidates dwindles and especially if you are the top candidate.

Much of this information may be publicly available on a career page or through Glassdoor or other review sites. If not, instead of asking someone in the hiring process, you may want to see if you can get information from any contacts you have within the company or someone who could ask on your behalf. 

Conclusion

An interview should not be a one-way conversation with you only answering questions. While the interviewer evaluates you and your fit for the role, you should be doing the same, assessing whether the position and company fit you. Asking intelligent questions that address areas of work that are important to you is a way to make this assessment. Come prepared with good questions, and not only will you learn whether the organization is a good fit for you, but you may also wow your interviewer.

Don’t forget to share this blog post with family, friends, and colleagues if you found it helpful.

Here is a previous blog post that can help you learn more about how to determine your "must-haves." 

Shelley Piedmont is a job search coach. She wants to help job seekers put their best foot forward by providing the tools for a successful job search. If you need career coaching, resume preparation, interview skills assessment, or LinkedIn profile assistance, she can help. Schedule a 15-minute no-obligation consultation.