During a job interview, most people don’t know how to respond to the dreaded “do you have any questions?” Is this the case for you as well? Here are some tips so that you’re not caught off guard.
Why not interview your recruiter?
Recruiters aren’t just asking if you have any questions by chance. Nor are they doing it to be more (or less) friendly. For them, it’s a way to get a better read on who you are.
In concrete terms, you’ve already discussed your career experience, the job opening, your skills, etc. At this point, you’ve definitely made an impression, but this isn’t enough. If the recruiter is open and curious, they might encourage you to talk about your passion for ornithology or gymnastics. This allows them to discover other facets of your personality outside of the office.
But to take this a step further, recruiters also love to see how a candidate reacts when the roles are reversed. Hence the importance of asking questions yourself!
Traps to avoid!
As you now understand, if an employer asks you “do you have any questions?,” they want you to interview them. Through your questions, they’ll be able to get an idea of:
- How serious you are: if you’re totally out of ideas, you’ll seem underprepared and less serious about the position.
- Your priorities: if your first question is about the hours, the recruiter will think that you’re more interested in what time you’ll be finally free for the night than in your future career.
- your analytical capacity: if you ask a question that you should already know the answer to, you’ll appear unprofessional. To spare yourself the embarrassment, read up on the company (the internet is a gold mine of knowledge) and pay close attention during each conversation with the recruiter.
- Your coherence: it’s a great idea to come up with a question that goes off the beaten path. But if your question has nothing to do with the business or the job, you’ll seem incoherent and off-topic. You should only ask relevant questions.
So, then what are the questions to ask in an interview?
You should ask only original and applicable questions so that your chance to speak is impactful and portrays who you are in a positive light. Needless to say, that shouldn’t stop you from asking “classic” questions you want the answers to, like “why is this position available? What opportunities for growth are there? How many other people are in the running for this position?”
But you should also ask questions that stand out from the crowd. Since it’s pretty difficult to improvise in front of an interviewer, you need to prepare in advance! Here are a few ideas of powerful questions:
- About the company: What challenges has your company faced recently? What advantages does it have over the competition? What are the main points of your development plan for the next couple of years?
- About your future team: How is the department organized? What impact will my hiring have on the team? Will I be able to work with other people for a few days to learn more about their departments? What would you like to improve and how can I help you do it?
- About the company culture: What type of management does this company have? Are there any traditions specific to here? How are the company’s values realised in everyday life?
And, if the company has recently been in the news, don’t hesitate to ask the recruiter about it. This shows your curiosity and that you’ve come well-prepared for the interview.
Interviewers will, without a doubt, expect you to ask questions during your interview. To stand out, choose original and pointed questions that demonstrate your worth!