Ten Questions You Should Always Ask in an Interview 

With a new year often come new resolutions — and for many professionals, finding a new job is at the top of their resolution list.

Fortunately, with the New Year, new fiscal budgets are available to help hit projected growth goals, so many organizations are looking to hire new talent to join their ranks.

As the job boards start filling up with exciting opportunities, it’s important to use the interview process as an opportunity as well:  not only for you to share your strengths and how you will be successful in a potential new role, but to ensure that you’re joining the right organization, the right team, and the right manager for your work style.

Therefore, as part of your interview preparation, it’s imperative that you are prepared to interview the company, the team members, and your potential new manager.

Here are ten questions to ask during the interview process to help you with a benign “turning of the tables”
so that you can interview the interviewers, and everybody benefits down the line from a good fit:

Gaining Insight on the Organization

What do you enjoy most about working here? This question allows you to gain insight on the organization and its culture. Company culture is very important when considering a new job.

Pay attention to your surroundings when you’re being escorted to the interview room:

• • • How are the employees dressed?
    • Do they work in offices, cubicles, or an open floor plan?
    • Are there inspirational posters on the walls or business performance metrics?

You should also probe your interviewer on why this company is worth working for. Any negative responses should be cause for concern.

Can you tell me about your plans for growth this year? This question should be tailored for the specific organization.

• • • Review their website in advance, and conduct an online search for press releases on upcoming product launches.
    • It’s important to understand where the company is headed with new products and solutions, in addition to the tools and resources they will be using to support their goals.

Gaining Insight on the Team

Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with? This is an opportunity to gain insight on the team’s culture, your new teammates, and (potentially) the cross-functional teams you’ll be working with on a daily basis.

Team dynamics are extremely important:

• • • Does everyone have similar roles or are they vastly different?
    • What is the average tenure for team members?
    • How collaborative is the team?

What is the single largest obstacle for your team? No organization is free of issues. Even a fast-growing, successful organization will have issues. It’s important to know what the challenges are, so you’re prepared for them, and also how your new role can potentially help alleviate them.

Gaining Insight on the Position

Who previously held this position? This question is extremely important:

• • • Was this position vacated by someone getting a promotion? If the former employee was promoted, that’s a good sign that the hiring manager is supportive of career growth.
    • Did they quit [or get fired]? If they quit or were fired, it’s important to understand if it was an issue with the employee, the team or something else.

Or, is this a new position? As such, will you need help to “define the role.”

What skills and experiences would make an ideal candidate? This is a great question to better understand exactly what the interviewer is looking for, and allow you an opportunity to cover any skills you may not have mentioned previously.

How do you measure success? It’s crucial to understand how you will be held accountable for the work you’ll be doing:

• • • Are there monthly, quarterly, or yearly goals?
    • Are they qualitative or quantitative?
    • How are the goals tracked?
    • Are there individual goals, team goals, or company-wide goals?

Gaining Insight into Your New Manager

How long have you been with the organization? This question is intended to give you background on the manager:

• • • Their tenure with the organization
    • Previous roles they’ve had
    • How long they’ve been a manager
    • Their time spent with this specific team

A new manager might be cause for concern, but if they’ve been with the organization a long time, it’s likely they’re well respected within the organization and can help you maneuver through it better.

What is your management style? Your boss’s management style is extremely important:

• • • Are they a micromanager?
    • Do you need step-by-step instructions?
    • Do you prefer to have someone to point you in the right direction and let you find your own way?

What do you value most from your team members? Some managers value results as the number one driver for success for them; others may value team culture or collaboration.  It’s very useful to know what your manager values most from the collective team.