Questions YOU Should Ask in an Interview
There is a lot made of the questions that people should be expecting to answer in an interview. Many prepare answers to things like: what is your biggest weakness, where do you see yourself in 5 years, etc. The question they rarely prepare for is perhaps the most difficult of all, do you have any questions for me? The funny thing is that this question is almost always asked by recruiters and hiring managers. It feels rude to sit and ask questions for an hour without giving the other party an opportunity to ask something of their own. As a recruiter, we are trained that we will be judged by the quality of our questions rather than the quality of our answers, and we tend to apply the same standard to candidates.There are 3 main goals you should achieve when asked if you have any questions:
- Clarify points you didn't fully understand: During the interview, have a legal pad available to jot down any notes or questions that come up. Use this opportunity to seek clarification. Be careful though, despite what you may have heard in the past, there really are stupid questions. You don't want to ask one in an interview.
- Understand how you did: You can gauge how you did in an interview with one simple question: "Did you see anything in my answers or background that concern you, or that you need me to clarify?" Asking this question will allow you to speak to any issues the interviewer has and know where you stand.
- Understand what to expect going forward: You can simple ask: "What are the next steps in the process?" This puts you in a position to have your expectations set and further clarify where you stand. This also forces the recruiter or hiring manager to give you a deadline and therefore the right to follow up if they don't meet the expectation they set. No one wants to sit waiting by the phone for 3 weeks constantly checking in with the recruiter.
Does anyone else have questions that have worked for you in this situation?
posted by Jason Roberts @ 10:53 AM
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