In any good interview, there will be a point where you will be asked to pose your own questions to the employer. The questions you ask will reflect your motivation.
If you ask questions about pay or hours, it will be assumed that you are only looking for better working conditions. If you ask thoughtful questions about the position, the team or the company, you and your people will be part of a most constructive discussion.
Here are examples of questions that will allow you to position yourself as a motivated candidate and leave with as much information as possible.
Questions about the position
- What does a typical day or week look like?
- What is the proportion (approximate%) of each task over a typical week?
- Is this a new position or a replacement? If it is a replacement, what is the cause of the departure of this employee?
- What are the main accomplishments expected of a new employee after their first 90 days?
Team questions
- What are the number and role of the people I would work with?
- Is this a department that enjoys a certain stability (turnover rate)?
- How can I go about integrating well with this particular team?
Company questions
- What are the company’s plans for its future growth?
- How would you describe the culture of your organization?
- What type of events does the company organize for its employees?
- Who is unique in this company that drives you to work there?
Bonus questions
The following 2 questions, if used well, will allow you to differentiate yourself from other candidates. For maximum impact, they require you to comment on your interlocutor’s response! They therefore require a little courage but they are very profitable.
1) Mr. interviewer, can you tell me about your journey with the company, from your beginnings until today?
This question is based on a very simple observation: people like to talk about themselves. The same applies to interviewers. Do not hesitate to take an interest in their personal journey. Once they have completed their presentation: Show interest in following a path similar to theirs and describe how it fits into your career plan.
2) What are the key skills to perform well in this position?
This last question can act as a real lever for you. This is the opportunity to position yourself as the best candidate.
Let me explain!
Once the interviewer has answered this question, all you have to do is go over each part of their answer and tell them how you meet each of these criteria. For example, if he replies that the key skills are autonomy and accounting concepts, you should add 2 concrete examples relating your mastery of these two skills.
The choice of questions
Usually you will have the opportunity to ask 5 or 6 questions in total as recruiters rarely allocate more than 15 minutes to this section of the interview. Have a written list of your questions ready and select those that have not already been covered during the interview.
