Questions to ask in job interviews by employer: 38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

Опубликовано: February 16, 2023 в 11:35 pm

Автор:

Категории: Miscellaneous

70 Best Job Interview Questions To Ask Candidates for Employers

22nd May 2022

Copied to clipboard

We always advise graduates to prepare for a job interview, and the same goes for employers.

In a job interview, the aim is to gain as much information about a candidate to determine whether or not they are right for a role.

Employers will need to prepare a selection of good interview questions to ask candidates.

Given that you will already have read their graduate CV, looked on LinkedIn for a profile, and viewed their online portfolio, it should be straightforward to decipher whether or not the candidate would be perfect for the role.

Yet interviewers of all levels of experience find that this can be a real challenge in such a short space of time.

Selecting the right and unique interview questions to ask candidates can make or break when it comes to finding out the necessary information to make a decision.

Summary video for employer interview questions to ask candidates

Tip: Change the playback speed in the settings at the bottom right corner, to suit your learning requirements!

Please feel free to embed this video on your website (get in touch for more info), or for more great videos for graduates and employers visit the Give A Grad A Go Recruitment YouTube Channel.

 

 

You’ll have in your hand what the candidate can do on paper, but preparing job interview questions to ask candidates can help you make those key decisions on suitability.

When interviewing a candidate, you will be looking to find out:

  • Whether or not the candidate meets the requirements of the job
  • How the candidate reacts under pressure
  • How well the candidate would fit in to your team
  • How the candidate explains and builds upon their CV

 

Examine the candidate’s graduate CV, including their education, previous work experience and skills they have listed – as well as enquiring about employment gaps, and questions you have.

Once you know the basics of what they can offer, move onto more investigative job interview questions to ask the candidate to help decide whether the person is right for your role.

Here are the top interview questions for employers in every industry.

20 best employer interview questions to ask candidates (general)

These cover the basic interview questions for employers; and you will now know what are good interview questions to ask candidates.

Asking about salary expectations and whether the candidate is interviewing elsewhere at the end of the interview can help you gauge if you’re both on the same page.

If you like the candidate, this will help indicate how quickly you need to make a decision!

However, there are more sector / job-specific interview questions to ask candidates, but these are some general interview questions for employers that can be asked for most job roles, graduate or otherwise

  1. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
  2. What attracted you to this particular role/company?
  3. What can you tell me about our company? Are you familiar with our industry? Who would you guess are our biggest competitors?
  4. What is your biggest achievement to date?
  5. Tell me something about yourself that isn’t on your CV
  6. Describe yourself in 3 words
  7. Can you tell me about a time when you overcame a challenge?
  8. What makes you unique?
  9. What kind of environment do you enjoy working in?
  10. What kind of management style do you prefer?
  11. What are your hobbies and interests outside of work?
  12. Who do you admire or look up to the most?
  13. What interests you most about this industry?
  14. Are there skills you’d like the opportunity to develop in the future?
  15. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
  16. Why are you leaving your current job? What will you miss about your current work environment and what will you not miss?
  17. How did you learn about this open position?
  18. What are your salary expectations?
  19. Are you interviewing anywhere else?
  20. Do you have any questions for me?

Job sector specific questions to ask an interviewee

For different roles that you are recruiting for, there are also different sets of interview questions to ask candidates based upon the skills, personality traits and experiences you want them to discuss.

Find out the best interview questions to ask graduate sales candidates, finance candidates, graduate developers, and creative candidates below.

‣‣‣ Top 10 sales interview questions to ask candidates

If you’re hiring sales candidates, chances are there will be certain character traits or attributes of a salesperson you are looking to find in your perfect graduate hire.

Are they target-driven,adaptable and confident?

Will you require the candidate to have some previous business development, sales, or client-facing experience?

By asking a combination of role-specific and skill-specific questions, you can ascertain whether the sales candidate is right for this particular graduate role.

Prepare these interview questions to ask the candidate in your sales interviews.

These employer interview questions review the candidates’ skills and gauge whether the candidate is right for your sales opportunity:

  1. What do you think is more important; keeping clients happy, or meeting targets?
  2. When do you think is right to stop pursuing a client?
  3. How do you handle stress?
  4. How do you handle rejection?
  5. What is your ultimate career goal?
  6. What drew you to this company?
  7. What do you already know about the company?
  8. Tell me about a time you have gone above and beyond
  9. What kind of rewards do you find the most satisfying?
  10. Sell this company’s service / product to me

‣‣‣ Top 10 finance interview questions to ask candidates

In finance graduate recruitment, there are several strategic interview questions to ask candidates in order to work out if they are the right fit.

Finance jobs often involve long hours, therefore it’s a good idea to find out whether the candidate is flexible and adaptable in their approach to work.

The candidate should demonstrate an interest in financial markets, good knowledge of your company, and key competitors.

When deciding on the best finance interview questions to ask candidates, focus on those which will help you uncover their passion for finance, working style, and ambition.

  1. Are you willing to work flexibly?
  2. Are you willing to relocate?
  3. What are some of your interests outside of work?
  4. What do you know about our company/industry?
  5. Can you name a few of our competitors?
  6. Can you tell me about an event that has happened in the last year which has affected our industry?
  7. What motivates you?
  8. How would your previous or current colleagues describe you?
  9. Do you prefer to work alone or as part of a team?
  10. What do you think is the biggest challenge our company is currently facing?

‣‣‣ Top 10 employer interview questions to ask a graduate developer

In IT graduate recruitment, asking the right interview questions can help you determine whether a candidate has the skills your business needs, and if they are a good fit for your team.

After reviewing their graduate CV, and their GitHub if they have one, ask questions that will prompt the candidate to elaborate on their skills, and when they have utilised them.

Look to assess whether the candidate has soft skills like communication and the ability to adapt to situations; important qualities in any graduate hire.

When interviewing a graduate developer, it’s a good idea to run through their CV in depth – plus find out if they have any other skills to add to it.

After understanding their education, experiences and skills, move onto more detailed questions to find out about their motives, successful previous projects, and their methods of working.

These are some of the job interview questions to ask a candidate looking to pursue a career in IT.

Find out how to hire Developers, with information on the different types of Developers to hire, how to write a compelling job description and how to onboard the Developer you hire.

  1. Can you list all frameworks/programming languages that you have worked with previously?
  2. Which are you most comfortable with?
  3. What is your ideal developing environment?
  4. Tell us about a previous successful project
  5. Tell us about a previous project which did not go so well. What would you do differently?
  6. Why do you want to be a web/software developer?
  7. Imagine that I know nothing about technology. Can you explain what ___ is to me?
  8. How do you test the quality of your codes?
  9. Do you prefer working with other technical people, non-technical team members, or a combination of the two?
  10. What are some of your other interests?

‣‣‣ Top 10 marketing interview questions to ask candidates

  1. In your own words, what’s the goal of marketing? OR how would you convince someone of the value of marketing?
  2. What social media channels are you familiar with?
  3. What channels do you think we should be focusing on and why?
  4. Are there any we’re currently not using that you think we should be?
  5. Are you familiar with our target market?
  6. How would you manage a new product launch?
  7. How do you stay up-to-date with digital marketing trends?
  8. What blogs and publications do you read?
  9. Who’s your favourite marketer or marketing blogger and why?
  10. Which marketing tools or software platforms do you have experience using?
  11. Are you comfortable using data to guide decision-making?

‣‣‣ Top 10 interview questions for creatives

  1. What projects are you working on right now?
  2. What creative tech tools do you use on a daily basis?
  3. What do you think of our existing creative materials? What would you do differently?
  4. What sets you apart from other candidates that we’re interviewing for this position?
  5. How would you describe your design style? Why do you think this contributes to our company’s needs?
  6. What is your favourite font and why?
  7. What sources do you use for industry news? Can you tell us what are the latest trends you’ve noticed in the creative and design industry?
  8. Who is your favourite artist or industry creative?
  9. How would you feel about working towards a tight project deadline or within a strict brief?
  10. What, in your opinion, makes a good picture or photograph?

Alternatives to classic interview questions

‘What are your weaknesses?’, ‘What motivates you to succeed?’, ‘Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?’ are the standard tried-and-tested questions that crop up in nearly every job interview.

The problem with these questions is that your candidates will have likely heard them a hundred times.

Resulting in the same tired answers that have either been rehearsed meticulously or copied from the internet.

The catch-22 is that these questions are classics for good reason.

As an employer, you need to know the info that these questions should illicit e.g. where your potential employee sees themselves in five years, and whether their weaknesses are likely to affect their performance in your job etc.

By tweaking classic interview questions you’ll be able to obtain the information you need, whilst keeping candidates on their toes and avoiding clichéd answers!

We have some examples of good job interview questions to ask candidates below.

  • Ask

    What three professional achievements do you want to accomplish in the next five years?’

     

    Why?

    ‘Where do you see yourself in the next five years?’ is usually greeted with a long-winded answer about how the candidate wants to be doing something which makes them happy, or that they just want to be successful in whatever they’re doing.

    This alternate question encourages them to be specific.

    Asking for professional achievements will enable you to bring to light what really matters to your candidate.

    If all of their accomplishments focus on training, you can be sure that this is a very important aspect for them.

    If they focus on leading a department or getting promoted, you can be certain this is where their motivation lies.

    Encouraging the candidate to define just three things also gives the answer a finite end-point which prevents it from becoming too convoluted.

  • Ask

    ‘What attracts you to our company over ‘competitor x’?’

     

    Why?

    This question requires the candidate to think; rather than just reeling off reasons they’ve read on the ‘company culture’ section of your website.

    They will need to make a comparison – which requires a higher level of thought.

    This should also reveal if your interviewee is passionate about your sector.

    If they are, they’ve probably considered applying to some of your competitors, so should have both a basic knowledge of them and how you differ.

  • Ask

    “What do you struggle with/feel you are least competent at in your current/previous job?”

     

    Why?

    ‘What is your greatest weakness?’ will commonly be greeted with clichés like, ‘I’m such a perfectionist- I like things to be just-so’, or the classic, ‘I find it really difficult to switch off from work’.

    Asking people for a specific flaw cuts through the waffle and coerces candidates into giving a concrete example of something they’re not great at, meaning you’ll get a more honest and relevant answer.

  • Ask:

    “Tell me about a time in which you succeeded, what motivated you?”

     

    Why?

    In at number four is the age-old interview question ‘What motivates you?’.

    The majority of candidates will retort with a short sentence like ‘I’m motivated by success’, or, ‘I’m motivated by seeing the results of my hard work’.

    Asking interviewees for a specific example of how they’ve been motivated in the past requires them to dig a little deeper, and will stop these one-sentence answers in their tracks.

  • Ask:

    “How would colleagues describe you, and what has shaped their opinions?”

     

    Why?

    Most people in an interview situation will describe themselves as a hard-working, perfectionist- no one is ever going to say that they are a mediocre candidate who hates overtime and will be unwilling to go the extra mile!

    Asking your interviewee what other people think of them won’t single-handedly deliver a more candid answer.

    Candidates can just as easily lie about what others say about them e.g. ‘My boss used to say I was the best employee he’s ever had the pleasure of working with!’

    So, asking what shaped their colleagues’ opinions will help provide more detail to their answer.

    The candidate has to back up their answers with evidence, which is more difficult to concoct on the spot – e.g. rather than just stating that people think they are articulate, they have to say why people think that

    i.e. ‘My line manager thought that I was articulate; I had to deliver weekly presentations to senior members of staff who complimented him about how I communicated complex business ideas’.

In graduate recruitment, it’s important for employers to know the best interview questions to ask candidates. If employers want to ensure that they make the right hire, this includes both general interview questions and more role / sector-specific interview questions for employers to ask.

If you’re looking to hire a graduate, we can help.

Get in touch below to find out how we can solve your graduate recruitment needs.

Get in touch

Revolutionise your hiring process.

Let us know your requirements and we’ll build a plan tailored to your needs.

First name*

Last name*

Email address*

Phone*

Job title

Company*

Company location*

Sector*
SectorAgribusiness & FarmingArts & EntertainmentCharity, Community & Not-for-profitDefence, Emergency & SecurityEducation & ChildcareEnergy & EngineeringFinance, Banking & FinTechFMCG, Retail & eCommerceHealth, Beauty & MedicalHospitality, Travel, Leisure & SportHR, Operations & Business ServicesLegal, Tax & AccountancyMarketing, PR, Digital & CreativeProperty, Interior & ConstructionResearch, Data & AnalyticsSoftware, Tech & TelecomsTransport, Logistics & Supply Chain

Where did you hear about us?
Where did you hear about us?FacebookLinkedInTwitterYouTubeInstagramTikTokGoogleOther search engineReferral / recommendationPartner websitePrintEmailExisting client / worked together

50 Best Interview Questions to Ask Candidates in 2022

Updated: November 30, 2022

You found our list of the best interview questions to ask candidates.

Interview questions are questions that employers ask to determine the best fit for a position among a pool of candidates. Because interviewers have a limited amount of time to evaluate candidates, recruiters select questions that elicit informative and comprehensive answers. Examples of the most common interview questions include “tell me about yourself,” and “what is your greatest accomplishment?” but interviewers occasionally pose more strategic or unique questions to test applicants’ critical thinking skills and creativity.

These questions can also serve as icebreaker questions or team building questions.

This article contains:

  • great interview questions
  • most common interview questions
  • unique interview questions
  • strategic interview questions
  • hard interview questions
  • good interview questions to ask
  • questions to ask an interviewee

So, here is the list!

Great interview questions

  1. Why should we hire you?
  2. What is most important to you in a role or work environment?
  3. What are you hoping for in your next role?
  4. What do you know about the company?
  5. Who is the smartest person you know personally? Why?
  6. Describe your relationship with your current colleagues.
  7. What is the most recent thing you learned?
  8. What are you most proud of in your professional life so far?
  9. What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
  10. How would your former managers and coworkers describe you?

Most common interview questions

  1. Tell me about yourself.
  2. Why do you want to work for this company?
  3. What are your greatest strengths?
  4. What is your biggest weakness?
  5. Tell me about a challenge or conflict you overcame at work.
  6. What is your most impressive work achievement?
  7. Why do you want to work at this company?
  8. Why do you want to leave your current role or company?
  9. Where do you see yourself in five years?
  10. What are your salary expectations?

Unique interview questions

  1. If we hired you as CEO of this company tomorrow, what is the first change you would make?
  2. If your exact opposite walked into this office after you, what kind of interview would they give?
  3. Upon arriving home, you realize you are the winner of a multimillion dollar jackpot. What do you do next?
  4. If you could work from any location on Earth, where would you choose?
  5. What would be your strategy for surviving a zombie apocalypse?
  6. What is one fact you refrain from adding to your resume, but would love to include?
  7. If somebody asked you to give an impromptu presentation on any topic, what subject would you pick?
  8. Which animal would you say that you are most like?
  9. What nonprofessional skill would you most like to learn?
  10. If I told you that the decision was down to you and one other candidate, what would you say to persuade me to hire you?

Strategic interview questions

  1. Describe a time when you proactively identified and addressed an issue at your company.
  2. Describe a time when you failed to achieve your goals and had to follow a different approach. What happened?
  3. Describe a time when you had to measure the success of a workplace change or campaign. What were your steps and ultimate findings?
  4. Imagine that you receive $50,000 and have one month to implement a major organizational change. What project do you choose and what approach do you employ?
  5. You ask for $5,000 to solve a problem, but upper management only allocates $1,000 for your solution. What is your plan of attack?
  6. Describe a time you failed and had to alter course and adopt a new approach. How did you know change was necessary? What actions did you take? What was the result?
  7. Walk me through your time management system.
  8. What do you think are the most important elements to consider when making a decision in our industry?
  9. Imagine you need to implement a new system that you do not have much experience with. What steps do you take to gather information and ensure successful execution?
  10. Share a time when you made a decision that involved great risk. What was the situation, the final verdict, and the result?

Hard interview questions

  1. What is the most difficult lesson you have had to learn thus far?
  2. What piece of critical feedback do you receive most often?
  3. If you could redo your career, what would you change?
  4. What have been your most positive and negative management experiences?
  5. Walk me through your approach to workplace conflict.
  6. Talk about a time when you had to work with someone whose personality was very different from yours.
  7. What is the farthest out of your comfort zone you have been while on the job?
  8. Give me an example of a time when you had to think or react quickly in response to a delicate situation.
  9. How do you deal with failure?
  10. Walk me through a time when you had to adapt to major change within your organization.

Final Thoughts

Interviews can be daunting processes, but asking great interview questions to candidates improves the experience for interviewers and interviewees alike. A company’s choice mix of strategic and the most common interview questions can reveal organizational priorities and company culture, helping candidates make informed decisions about offers.

Next, check out our list of tips for virtual interviews and this article on the best applicant tracking systems.

FAQ: Interview Questions

Here are answers to the most common inquiries about interview questions.

What are the best interview questions to ask candidates?

The best interview questions to ask candidates depend on the role and the type of candidate you hope to attract. At minimum, you should ask the most common interview questions such as:

  • Tell me about yourself
  • Why do you want to work for this company?
  • What are your greatest strengths?
  • What is your biggest weakness?
  • Why should we hire you?

Additional questions should evaluate whether the candidate is a good skill and culture fit for the position. Feel free to tailor your top interview questions to suit your organization and industry.

What interview questions are illegal?

Off-limits interview questions center on unchangeable or highly personal aspects of a candidate’s identity.

Illegal interview questions include those pertaining to:

  • Sex, Gender Identity, or Sexual Orientation
  • Race, Color, or National Origin
  • Religion
  • Disability
  • Age or Genetic Information
  • Citizenship
  • Marital Status, Number of Children, Pregnancy Status, or Family-planning Forecasts

If a candidate brings these topics up, then it is advisable to steer the conversation onto other subjects. A candidate may inquire about reasonable accommodations and the inclusivity of your work culture, at which point it may be pertinent to outline your organization’s benefits, diversity efforts, and willingness to support underrepresented employees. However, as a rule, you should never pose interview questions related to these topics, and should defer these discussions if the candidate initiates them.

The legality of asking about criminal background during interviews is more complex. In most places, it is not illegal to ask candidates about criminal records, but employers may not deny applicants based solely on conviction history without conducting an individualized assessment. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission warns against placing conviction questions on job application forms. Most employers wait to ask about criminal conviction until the late stages of the interview process.

What is the STAR method in interviewing?

The STAR method is an interview technique that organizes answers to behavioral questions into a structured response format as follows:

Situation: Describes a specific situation that pertains to the question. Outline the particulars of the circumstance.

Task: Explain the objective.

Action: Illustrate the steps and actions taken in order to achieve the desired goal. Be as detailed as possible and focus on individual contributions.

Response: Relay the outcome of the action and evaluate results.

This interview structure ensures that the interviewer receives comprehensive answers that provide a more complete picture of applicant’s work styles. Though situations should ideally be from past jobs, entry-level applicants or candidates pursuing career changes may draw on from experiences from school, internships, volunteer work, or other industries.

What are some good questions for a candidate to ask an interviewer?

Most interviews end with the question, “do you have any questions for us?” Here are some questions a candidate might ask an interviewer:

  • Why is this position open?
  • What are the average daily responsibilities of this job?
  • How would you describe the company culture?
  • What is your training/onboarding process?
  • What can I expect in my first 30/60/90 days on the job?
  • What do you think are the most important qualities for someone to excel in this role?
  • What is your favorite part of working for this company?
  • What development opportunities does the organization offer?
  • What changes do you expect to see within the company over the next year/five years?
  • What are the next steps in the interview process?

Remember that an interview is a two-way street where the candidate evaluates whether to join the company. Preparing thoughtful, thorough, and confident responses to common applicant questions makes a positive impression. Of course, a candidate may pose a unique or interesting question that catches you off guard, in which case you can buy time to think by commenting, “that is a great question!”

20 popular interview questions: what they really mean and how to answer them

“Why this company?”

This is a standard quick screening question for applicants. A non-specific question can immediately cross out the chances of getting a job.

Don’t forget to prepare. Prepare in advance 2-3 unique qualities of the company that attract you. This does not guarantee that the interview will be successful, but will reduce the likelihood of failure.

“Tell me about yourself”

This question does not imply a retelling of the summary. His task is to check whether the interlocutor can formulate a concise and meaningful description of his past, present and future.

Try to be concise. Focus on the most important information, decisions, and non-obvious ideas.

“Why should we hire you?”

This direct question tests how stress-resistant the candidate is and how well he sells.

Demonstrate how well you prepared for the interview. List your strengths, show experience and desire to get a position. nine0005

“How did you hear about this position?”

The question seems to be a passing one, but it allows you to stand out from other applicants.

Recommended by someone in your network? Don’t forget to mention it.

Learned while researching the industry? Tell me.

Found a job on the site? Explain why she got attention.

“What are your strengths?”

The purpose of this question is not to find out more about the applicant, but to check how well he has studied the vacancy and the company. nine0005

Name 1-2 strengths that make you a good candidate for the position you want. This is where storytelling skills come in handy. As an example, tell a couple of interesting stories.

“What are your weaknesses?”

Most applicants try to present some kind of disadvantage that would sound like an advantage (but this does not always work out). For example, “I’m too into details” should mean “I’m very attentive to details.”

You shouldn’t do that. Tell us about your real weakness and how you are trying to overcome it. nine0005

“Tell me about your failure”

The question evaluates several factors: 1) whether the applicant has experienced failure, 2) how resilient he is, and 3) how he coped with the experience.

Prepare 1-2 specific stories. Be specific and focus on the lessons you learned.

“Why did you decide to quit?”

This is a test for negativity.

Never say anything bad about a past employer. After all, one day this company will become your past employer. nine0005

Stay positive and explain why the new company and position will help you get closer to your goals.

“What would your previous employer say about you?”

This question is a good opportunity to name a quality you haven’t mentioned yet. For example, reliability, consistency, team orientation.

Be honest, but make the most of this opportunity.

“Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”

This helps to assess the level of ambition of the candidate, and how it corresponds to the goals of the company. Keep this in mind when you answer. There is no correct option. nine0005

“How do you deal with stress?”

Everyone faces stress. And that’s okay.

Needless to say you don’t experience it. Rather discuss 1-2 ways to deal with stress.

Try to think of a time when stress helped you mobilize your strength and cope with a challenge.

“Are you planning to have a family or children?”

This is illegal in many countries, but unfortunately this question continues to be asked.

It may be enough to change the subject. Otherwise, say that it is uncomfortable to talk about it. nine0005

“What kind of manager are you?”

Anyone can be a leader, and it’s not about the position. Tell stories and don’t be afraid to be specific.

Text photo: Unsplash

Think back to a project where you led your team. How did you motivate them? What methods worked?

You may have played sports before. Give an example from the past.

“What motivates you?”

General questions like these help you see how you think as you go. nine0005

Don’t answer “Money” even if it’s true. Try to talk about something general (“taking care of my family”) or something related to the position.

“What would you do in your first 100 days at your new job?”

This question tests how the applicant has prepared and studied the topic, how initiative and self-critical he is.

Come up with a concrete plan and don’t forget to set aside time for learning and adaptation.

“How do you deal with conflict at work?” nine0003

Show your involvement and honesty. To answer this question, give 1-2 specific examples.

What led to the conflict? What did you do? What was the result? Looking back, what would you have done differently?

“What other hobbies and interests do you have?”

A company representative wants to know who the applicant is outside of work.

No need to give too general an answer. This is a chance to showcase your uniqueness.

“How many golf balls are used in the US each year?” nine0003

These questions are often asked during technical job interviews. Their goal is not to get the right answer, but to show how the applicant can think through the solution and follow it logically.

“Is there anything else we should know about you?”

This is a standard question, but take your time answering “No” to it.

Instead, reiterate how excited you are to work for this company. This will leave a good final impression.

“What questions do you have?”

The question tests the preparation and personality of the applicant. Common phrases won’t hurt you, but they won’t add points either. It is better to ask a specific question that will require a detailed answer.

Writer Sahil Bloom offers this option: “Which of the current tasks inspires you the most?”.

Source.

Cover photo: Pexels

30 Questions to Ask Your Future Employer

Preparing for an interview usually focuses on how to properly answer a potential employer’s questions. Most often, it all comes down to the fact that you once again rehearse your answer to the question “Tell me about yourself?” in front of the mirror. But much less attention is paid to the reverse (but equally important) situation: what questions you need to ask a future employer in order to find out what your duties will be and with whom you will work. nine0005

An interview is not just an opportunity for the HR manager to find out everything about you as a specialist and as a person. This is also an opportunity for you to understand if this job is right for you? It is very important to get answers to such questions: what do you need to know about the vacancy? About company? About the department?

We’ve put together a list of key interview questions to ask when that cherished “So, do you have any questions?” moment comes. This list will help you make sure you cover all the key points. nine0005

Questions about the position and the job itself:

1. What are my job responsibilities? The first thing you try to find out about a potential job is what you will do, what you will do and what area of ​​work you will be responsible for. True, basically the employer himself tells what duties the vacancy implies, but if you still have doubts or you are not quite sure whether you have understood this information correctly, then it is still better to clarify or ask again. nine0151 2. Is this a new job or an old job? Many people think that getting a new job is better than taking an existing job. If a vacancy is just being created, then you have the opportunity to arrange the work as you see fit. Otherwise, you will have to adapt to the rules and obligations that are inherent in this position.
3. To whom will I report directly? Before accepting a job offer, it is worth finding out general information about the hierarchy in the company. So, it will be easier for you to figure out in the future who you can contact with a question or who to ask for advice. In some companies, issues of subordination are very strict, so in order not to get into trouble in an unfamiliar team, it is better to immediately clarify this issue for yourself. nine0151 4. Does my position involve business trips, participation in additional projects? The text of the vacancy does not always indicate what additional activity the job involves. Meanwhile, the presence of business trips can significantly affect your decision – for some applicants, such obligations are unacceptable. The same applies to participation in other projects of the organization. If in the course of work you can be involved in parallel projects that the company is engaged in.
5. How is success in this work assessed? If this is more or less clear in the field of sales, then how, for example, to evaluate the work of a marketer? Each company may have its own way of determining efficiency. You can focus on one focus of work, but at the same time, it turns out that management uses a completely different criterion to evaluate success. Therefore, it is better to prepare in advance and place the right accents.
6. What can you tell about the vacancy that was not written in the advertisement? nine0150 As a rule, the text of the vacancy contains only the main points, but any job involves a lot of interesting little things. Therefore, ask the recruiter to talk about any non-obvious or hidden nuances of this position.
7. Can you show me an example of a project that I will be working on? It will not be superfluous, if possible, to familiarize yourself with similar projects in order to roughly understand what will be required of you in the future.
8. Are there frequent promotions in this position and what is needed for this? nine0150 If the issue of a raise is fundamental for you, then it is better to clarify your expectations right away. Otherwise, in the future, disagreements in this area may lead to dismissal.
9. What is the employee’s responsibility? Immediately try to determine the scope of responsibility and compare it with the benefits offered.
10. What are the most challenging tasks an employee in this position might face? As the saying goes, always hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. Therefore, if possible, it is better to prepare in advance at least morally for the difficulties that may be expected in the work. nine0151 11. What else is included in the daily/weekly duties? In addition to official duties, a vacancy can often also involve minor tasks, such as buying stationery or ordering water for the office. So that such tasks do not come as a surprise to you, try to find out at the interview.

Questions about the probationary period:

12. What results do you expect from a new employee during the probationary period? This question is somewhat similar to the performance evaluation question, but is more specific. You must understand what will be expected of you in the near future and whether you will be able to meet these requirements. nine0151 13. What are the main features of the trial period in your company? Find out how long the trial period for this position lasts, how much it is paid, what obligations you will have to the company and the company to you.

Questions about motivation:

14. What is the salary and how is it paid? This question is one of the most important in the interview, and often the salary is indicated in the text of the vacancies. But just in case, it is still worth clarifying this point. nine0151 15. Is there a social package and what does it include? Many companies now offer various compensation packages. Therefore, a set of additional “goodies” can significantly affect the choice of a job.
16. Overtime fees expected? And are there overtime in the company at all? In any case, if the company pays for overtime work, then this item should be spelled out in the employment contract.
17. What are the prospects for growth in this position? nine0150 Again, if career growth is one of the main issues for you when choosing a job, then it is better to clarify this point right away.
18. Is additional training expected? Some companies may offer training at their own expense, conducting language courses as part of the workflow. Also, the company can partially pay for advanced training courses or additional education.
19. What qualities and skills should the ideal candidate have? So you can compare yourself and the image of the candidate that the employer would like to see, and understand how suitable you are for this job. nine0005

Questions about the company:

20. What is the structure of the company? This information may be public and can be found on the company’s website. But if you have any doubts about this, then it is better to clarify incomprehensible points.
21. What is the procedure for hiring employees? Does the company provide formal employment? What is the time frame for registration and are any additional documents needed – a health book, certificates, etc.? This aspect is extremely important for further cooperation. nine0151 22. Do I need to enter into a non-disclosure agreement? Some companies, especially in the information technology field, may require employees to sign a contract that will limit the distribution of confidential information.
23. Does the company have a dress code? Although now more and more companies are abandoning the dress code, preferring a free choice of clothes, check what the procedures are in this company so as not to find yourself in an awkward situation on the very first working day. nine0151 24. How is the interaction between departments or structural units? You must understand how communications work within a company. In large organizations, interaction between branches or departments can be quite time-consuming and formal, so it’s best to be prepared for this.
25. What are the company’s development plans? Just as recruiters ask, “Where do you see yourself in 5/10 years?” ask what the company’s goals are. This will help you understand if you are on the right path with this organization. nine0005

General questions:

26. What is the expected work schedule and can it be adjusted? This is one of the main issues, along with job responsibilities and wages. Often, due to an inconvenient or too tight schedule, candidates have to refuse a vacancy.
27. What kind of workplace will I have – open space or a separate office? Many employees find it difficult to work in a shared office.