Useful questions to ask during a job interview

“Do you have any questions?” Often feared by candidates, this question is almost unavoidable during a job interview. No need to panic, it is rather your best opportunity to know more about the job and to demonstrate your interest.

Interviews aren’t questionning, they are conversations. So, use them to know more about your potential responsibilities, your future perspectives, the team you might join… Really, everything that can help you decide if you’ll like this job. And that is not trivial. So asking relevant questions is not just an acting job.  

Ask about the job itself

First, make sure you know enough about the job and the daily tasks it implies, at the beginning as well as in the future. 

• What qualities do you deem necessary to carry on the mission ?
• What are the skills currently missing from your team ?
• What will be the biggest challenge of the position ?
• Is it a brand new job position ?
• Does the job include a specific budget to manage ? Do you know the amount .

Ask questions about the skills you can acquire

Each job fits into your broader professional path. That’s definitely a topic you can talk about during an interview. 

• What kind of training will I have at the beginning ?
• Are there any evolution opportunities inside the company or at this position ?

Ask about objectives

Whatever job you do, the key to success is always to have a good understanding of your objectives and how your performance will be measured. You can discuss this with the recruiter.

• What will be the important steps to achieve at this position ?
• What are the objectives to reach during the first 6 months ?
• What is your evaluation process ?
• How will you measure my performance ?

Ask questions of the company

You work for a company, not just your direct manager of your team. So, better be well acquainted with the company.

• I read about the foundation about the company but can you tell me more about …. ? This question only works if the piece of information isn’t already written on the company’s website
• What are the current goals of the company and how does my future team help to reach them ?

Ask questions about the team

Workmates can have a tremendous influence on your work life. Try to picture yourself on the team to know if you will fit in.

• Can you tell me more about the team ? What is the work atmosphere like ?
• Who will be my manager and what are his or hers responsibilities ?

Ask questions of the company culture

Is the atmosphere serious or playful ? Is the dresscode formal or casual ? It can seam futile but this information is in fact crucial for you to fit in. You can usually get some answers by looking around you at your first interview, but a few questions can help you go deeper. 

• How is the work atmosphere ? 
• Do you organize team building sessions ?

What’s next ?

Before ending the interview, make sure you have all relevant information regarding the process. 

• What are the next steps ?
• Do you have any other questions about my previous experiences ?