We’ve all been there – you get to the end of an interview, and the employer asks what questions you have. I’ve seen many people freeze at this question because they prepared every word they’d said but forgot to prepare questions to ask the employer. If you are someone who struggles with this, here are three questions to ask at the end of an interview.
What Will You Consider a Success in This Role a Year from Now?
Sure, job descriptions tell you information about the ins and outs of a job. However, one thing that you really want to know is what the employer feels are the most essential aspects. You also need to know where you should spend most of your focus. This question is great for detailing these things.
Additionally, this question will help you get a sense of what you will be evaluated on and the future plans for your potential role. If your employer cannot give a good answer to this question, this can also raise some red flags. You want to work somewhere that has a good plan with effective supervision. This should be an easy question for an employer to answer.
Can You Tell Me More About the Team I’ll Be Working With?
There are two practical reasons to ask this question. First, it can give you a sense of the organization’s culture. You will be able to get a sense of the level of collaboration between departments and team members. You’ll also get a lens into what is most important in terms of interpersonal dynamics.
Secondly, this question can give you a chance to possibly catch some red flags. For example, if there is a toxic work environment, you can sometimes sniff it out based on the answer to this question. It’s also a good question for detecting a supervisor who is too hands-off and has difficulty answering a question about their team.
What Is Your Onboarding Process?
Do you prefer structure, or do you thrive with flexibility? This is a good question to help you determine if the company’s style matches yours. Onboarding can be wildly different from one place to another. Some places give you lots of training while others let you learn as you go.
This question will help you get a sense of the organization’s approach. If it is a job that you feel confident about, a hands-off approach may be fine. On the other hand, if you feel you need a lot of training, you may want to hear about a strategic onboarding process.
Conclusion
Ultimately, you want to ask questions at the end of an interview that will help you make the best decision should an offer be extended. Remember that an interview is a two-way street. You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you. Ideally, you don’t want to wait until the end of the interview to ask your questions. Try to incorporate your questions into the interview. This will help the interview feel more like a conversation than an interrogation.
The Elevated: Job Search Coaching is a 3-month job search coaching program for job seekers, career changers and promotion seekers who want to accelerate their job search with confidence to land a role in line with your qualifications, skills, and talents.
In the program, we take you through each step of our signature 5 step D.R.E.A.M. framework to help boost your visibility and elevate your career.
Ready to be in a career where you are appreciated for you full potential? Click here to apply for the Elevate: Job Search Coaching.
