9 essential questions to ask your interviewer

As your job interview comes to an end, it’s common for the interviewer to ask if you’d like to ask them any questions about the role or the organisation. Preparing for this part of the interview is just as important as preparing for what your interviewer will potentially ask you, so it’s important that you come armed with some thoughtful and well-considered questions. 

Asking the right kinds of questions in an interview not only shows that you’re genuinely interested in the role, it’s also a great opportunity for you to get a sense of what it might be like working in it. However, it’s important that you do your homework beforehand — this means, not asking for information that is readily available, such as on the company’s website or in a recent news article.

We asked Will International’s Director of Employee Engagement, Andrea McDonald about the best questions she’s been asked in interviews and why.

Here’s what she had to say.

1. Could you please expand on what you mentioned about growth plans/company vision/etc?
“The best questions I've been asked are those that build on the conversation we had during the interview. It shows that the candidate has been listening and is curious and engaged about the role.”

2. Why has this position become available?
“This response will tell you a lot about the company, such as whether it has a high staff turnover. If you get a positive response, such as it being a new position that's been created due to company growth, then that’s great. If it was because of an internal promotion, that is also a positive sign of potential career opportunity in the role.”

3. What’s the future strategy of the company?
“This will help you understand what your long-term future at the company may look like and the kind of work you will be involved with. You can show that you’ve really done your homework if you’ve researched the company and can ask about a particular growth plan you come across in your research.  

It is also important to ensure that the future plans of the organisation match your priorities and needs. For instance, if you have a particular need for stability and they mention they will be going through significant transformation in the next five years, you might like to explore that further. If you don’t wish to travel and they mention they are expanding to international markets - again, explore that further.”  

4. What do you enjoy most about working here? 
“This is a positive question and it will reveal things about company culture and a day in the life of an employee. It will also help you determine if it is aligned to your values and motivations. For example, if you need structure and systems and they say they love the ambiguity and lack of structure - that may be a red flag for you. When you ask this question, make sure you already know what you need from a business so you can consider what they say against what you desire in the next company.” 

5. What would a typical day look like for the role being offered? 
“This can potentially give you a lot of insights. It will tell you what proportion of the role would be spent on certain tasks, as well as getting a clearer idea of the company’s expectations and priorities.”

6. How do you measure success in this role?
“This will tell you whether success is clearly measured and celebrated. It will help inform you what the company prioritises in the role and the level of ‘performance culture’. It also might give more insight into how structured they are, what they value as a business and how developed their HR processes are.” 

7. What does the company look for in employees? 
“This will help you identify whether you’ll mesh well with the company. If you possess the same traits or values as those mentioned, you can be confident you’ll make a great fit. It may give you an indication of how you performed during the interview and to make sure you don't leave without highlighting some of those traits you have that align with those ideals.

8. Can you tell me a little bit more about the work culture?
“This is an open-ended question that doesn't lead your interviewer to assume anything about the kind of culture you're expecting the company to have. It’s better to position the question this way rather than asking something specific such as, “Do you guys do Friday night drinks?’ Sometimes those interviewing may not always be able to articulate what ‘culture’ is so have some specific back up questions ready if they are unable to answer this question well. That might include; How do you celebrate performance? What is valued in the business? What are the moments that matter in your business?”

9. What do you look for in regards to people reporting to you? 
“This shows that you’re thinking about how you would work with them and that you have initiative. It also shows that you’re flexible and willing to adapt to different working styles.”

Asking great questions will elicit responses that will help you determine if the job is right for you whilst also ensuring you put your best foot forward in the interview.