Business persons talking in the office
You go into a job interview to answer questions, right? So if you know the right answers, you should get the job, shouldn’t you?
Not quite. What if I told you answering questions wasn’t all you had to do in a job interview? What if I told you that you would also be judged on the quality of the questions you asked. That would be stressful, wouldn’t it? I’m so sorry! But it’s the truth—stressful or not.
I recently told my therapist I felt like everyone was judging me. She asked if I thought she was judging me. I said nothing. Then, she asked if I was judging her. I said nothing. Then, we sat in awkward silence for about 45 seconds. That’s what job interviews feel like, sometimes.
Americans spend an average of seven hours preparing for an interview—and at least one of those hours should be spent prepping questions. In particular, if you’re seeking a full-time job after years of self-employment or freelancing, asking questions can demonstrate your interest. During an interview, an employer is evaluating not just how qualified you are for the role, but how interested you are, how much effort you’ll put in, and how willing you are to learn. As many as 39% of employers say that a candidate leaves a bad impression after an interview—and not showing interest via informed questions may contribute. I have a few here to help you get started:
Can you describe a typical day in this role?
This question demonstrates that you’re imagining yourself in the job—it’s not just a means to a salary. Asking about the specifics shows you want to know how you’ll fit into the job—and whether or not it’s something you can see yourself doing.
What are the company’s biggest challenges?
This shows you’re willing to assume the company’s interests as your own; you want to hit the ground running and dig into hard problems. It also gives you a chance to demonstrate outside-the-box thinking. You’re likely not going to solve their major issue in the interview, but you can showcase how you think through new problems. (Although, if you do solve all their biggest issues in the interview, you should ask for some sort of compensation. Or at least parking validation).
Make sure to ask follow-up questions. “If someone at the company tells you about what challenges they face, ask follow-up questions—especially technical ones,” advises Dr. Dar-Wei Chen, a cognitive engineer and human factors specialist. “At a minimum, you might learn something new, but it also gives you a chance to show off more technical knowledge and show that your interest in the company's work is more than superficial.”
What are the opportunities for professional development and growth within the company?
Ambition is always a turn-on to an employer, and this question shows you’re considering a long-term career with the company. It’s also relevant—if they don’t express any growth trajectories, it might not be the right fit for you.
How does the company support work-life balance?
This question won’t make you look like a slacker. Just the opposite—it will show you’re committed to putting in many years with the company. There’s nothing wrong with avoiding burn-out, especially if it means you’ll be able to stick it out for the long haul. It also indicates what the overall culture is like, which is critical for making a decision about joining a company.
Can you describe the team I'll be working with?
You’re evaluating whether or not the company is a good fit for you, too. If the team doesn’t sound like a group of people you’d like working with, you might save yourself and the employer a huge headache if you duck out of the application process early.
What are the most important qualities you're looking for in a candidate for this role?
This tells you a lot about the role, but it also gives you a chance to showcase some of your own skills—particularly any they haven’t asked about. Maybe they’ll tell you they’re looking for someone flexible, and you’ll get to jump in with an anecdote about the time you learned SQL just to cover for the analytics person on maternity leave. Only tell this story if it’s true, though.
When can I expect to hear back?
Interest is critical. To show you’re serious, Dr. Chen recommends asking when you can expect to hear back. This is useful for you, as well. “You'll want to know how much time you'll have to make a decision, whether you'll be able to take other interviews in the meantime, whether you'll have to make decisions on other offers in the meantime, whether you can financially handle a longer wait, etc,” he says.
And just remember—the interviews are for you, too. So ask anything else that you’re genuinely curious about. Maybe you want to know about the parking situation. Maybe you want to know what people think of the free lunch. Maybe you want to know whether or not people work weekends. I can’t pretend these are the best questions to ask, or I would have listed them above—but if they’re important to you, ask them. You’ll only have a few conversations with an employer before you take a job, so use them wisely. And good luck!
