Job interview: A Two-Way Process - Your Turn to Ask Questions

In many situations, the questions you ask in an interview can be more revealing than the answers you give. Recruiters look for candidates who ask insightful questions as a result of listening to the questions asked throughout the recruitment process; they see candidates' questions for employers as clues about their analytical skills.

When you begin to think of the interview as a two-way process, you will see it is important for you to
ask questions if given the opportunity at the end of your interview so you can find out as much as possible about the company and the job's challenges -like if this is a good place for you to work before you say yes.

Surprisingly, the most common answer to the interview question, "Do you have any questions I can answer for you?" is ‘no, I think you answered them all’. Not only is this the wrong answer, but it's always really disappointing to any interviewer and also a missed opportunity to find out information about the company.

A good response to the interviewer asking, "Do you have any questions?" would be: "Yes, I do.

Questions are a sign of enthusiasm, something most recruiters and hiring managers desperately want to see. The way to show interest is by asking follow-up questions, really taking interest in what they're doing and showing that you've done some research as well.

Where there's a will, there's a way, and finding a way to gather information on a company distinguishes the great candidates from the good candidates. Part of your homework piece as a candidate is having a really tough question for an interview. Interviewers just love it when someone asks a really difficult question - something that takes some guts to ask.

 A conventional method of gathering information about a company is Googling them. You just might come up with a nugget.

While you're at it, Google yourself to make sure you and the interviewer are on the same page. Because if he's savvy, he's doing unto you as you've just done unto him and his company.

 A less conventional method to get information is being able to find a press release that one of the company’s PR people have written. You can contact that person and say, ‘I saw your press release. It looks really good. Would you be open to me asking a few questions? I'm doing research on your company.'

The Best Types of Questions

There's no standard set of good questions to ask employers. “The questions should be thoughtful, not canned, because any good recruiter is going to know somebody told you to ask that question, and that's a turnoff.  Interviewers hate it when people have a list of generic questions.

Recruiters suggest asking questions specific to the company and industry you're exploring. The best candidates ask really well-thought-out questions that show that you know the interviewer's business. You know their company to some extent, and you've thought about your question. It all goes back to preparation, and it tells the interviewer you thought about this interview before you walked in the door.

Many recruiters also like to see someone latch onto a point from the interview and delve into it more deeply. It shows you can think on your feet.

Timing is important: You will have to use your judgment about the number of questions you ask and when to ask them. Think of this as a conversation. There will be an appropriate time to ask certain types of questions, like those about benefits and vacation. To be on the safe side, concentrate on questions about the job's responsibilities and how you fit the position until you get the actual offer.

Be Prepared: What information do you need to decide whether to work at this company? Make a list of at least 10 questions to take with you to the interview. Depending on who is interviewing you, your questions should vary.

If you are interviewing with the hiring manager, ask questions about the job, the desired qualities and the challenges.

If you are interviewing with the human resources manager, ask about the company and the department.

If you are interviewing with management, ask about the industry and future projections. This is your chance to demonstrate your industry knowledge.