Have you commonly gotten to the end of an interview and had no idea of what kinds of questions to ask? Often times candidates will answer with “No I’m all set” or “I don’t have any questions”. This is a missed opportunity, not only to learn more about the opportunity, but also to set yourself apart by further demonstrating your interest in the role. Outside of the common “What does the day to day look like for this role?” or “What do you expect from this person in their first year on the job?” there are some other great questions you could be asking.
So, the real question is, what kinds of questions should you ask, and how do you develop questions that are not seemingly meaningless?
- Thoroughly review the job description
- Is there anything you are unsure about or still need to know?
- Example: Maybe it is unclear whether you will have professional development opportunities. Try asking this “Does this position offer any funding for professional development experiences?”
- Is there anything you are unsure about or still need to know?
- Go over the company’s website information
- Mission, Vision, Values, etc.
- Example: The company may mention things in their page that you are wondering how they show up in the day to day. Try asking this “Your website says your company values _______, how does that value show up in the day-to-day work?”
- Mission, Vision, Values, etc.
- Determine if there are specific things that you are seeking within the opportunity
- Training, opportunity for advancement, etc.
- Example: Maybe you are new to the industry and want to know what kind of training will be required. Try asking this: “What does the training look like for this position?”
- Training, opportunity for advancement, etc.
- Evaluate potential pros and cons of the position
- Determining your deal breakers can be especially helpful for this
- Example: Some people place heavy emphasis on opportunities to work remotely either fully or in a hybrid capacity. Try asking this: “Is there an opportunity for hybrid work opportunities within this role now or in the future?”
- Determining your deal breakers can be especially helpful for this
Our recommendation is to have 3-5 developed questions. See below for some of my favorite questions to ask in an interview as a diverse employee with a focus on the culture of workplaces that I am a part of:
- If you could describe the personality of your company (or department), what would it be?
- What are you actively doing to support your diverse staff within the workplace?
- What is the biggest or most common challenge faced by someone in this role?
If there are any questions you have that you do not feel comfortable asking in the interview, consider if there is a UofA alumni or other connection that works for the company that could give you more insight into what working there looks like. Bear Down Network and the LinkedIn Alumni tool are great potential resources for more informal and informative conversations.
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