It's important to remember that every interview is a two-way street. You should be assessing the employer just as much as they're assessing you, because you both need to walk away convinced that the job would be a great fit.

Most interviews will end with a chance for you to ask a few questions. Failure to ask anything may be interpreted as disinterest or a lack of preparation, so it is important to have a few questions ready. Some of your prepared questions may have already been answered during the interview, so always prepare more questions than you actually plan on asking.

An interview between a job seeker and an employer isn’t just to find out if the job seeker is right for the position, but also to find out if the position is right for the job seeker. At the end of every interview comes the inevitable question of “Do you have any questions that you would like to ask me?” Asking the right questions can leave the interviewer with a positive lasting impression. Here are some recommended examples:

What do I have to achieve in the first 6/12 months to be successful in your eyes?

This could be another way to clarify the employer’s expectations and objectives. Your response to the employers answer to this question could be another opportunity to highlight your potential and suitability for the job role, ‘Your expectation that the successful candidate will provide analysis and insight is interesting. In my last role, one of my tangible achievements was to…’ 

How is this role critical to the organization and to the achievement of its goals? How does it support management and serve direct reports?

This is an important question to ask in an interview because it can help you get insight into the position and how it fits into the network of the company. Who will you support? Who will you supervise and guide? What skills are critical for success?

What key values or attitudes does the organization look for in the people it hires?

This is your chance to find out if this is a company where you will fit in and that your values align. 

What are the biggest challenges and opportunities facing the company or this department right now?

If you are commercially aware and are confident that you understand the business and its clients and services/products, this question offers an opportunity to showcase this. You could respond to the employers perspective with your analysis and interpretation of the research you have done prior to interview.

What does the onboarding and training plan consist of for this role? 

With the right training, an employee can quickly be brought up to company speed. If no training is offered and you’re not sure you know enough to do the job, this would also be a great time to get clarification on that.

What are the major KPIs or benchmarks for this role? How often and formally am I evaluated on them? 

I like this question because it addresses expectations in concrete terms. 

Once I prove myself in the role over the long term, what are the opportunities for further training and promotion?  

Although this type of question may feel a little predictable, showing interest in your personal and professional development is important. It shows the interviewer that you are someone that wants to make a long term commitment and that you are someone they can invest in.

Can I go back to that earlier question on…?

If there was a question that you felt you could have answered more effectively, why not ask the employers permission to revisit it? Saying, ‘I think this is a better example of a time where I demonstrated my problem-solving ability’, for example, shows confidence and the self-awareness that you recognised you could have provided a more convincing answer earlier in the interview.

Do you have any concerns about my ability at this point? Or is there anything we haven’t covered, or any information that I can provide in that would be helpful in your decision making process?

This may seem a slightly risky question. It’s bold, but if the interviewer has any doubts it gives you the opportunity to answer those concerns directly.”  If you want the job, make sure you offer the opportunity to fill any gaps or clarify anything that’s not clear.

What are the next steps in the interview process?

This question shows that you are eager to move forward in the process. It will also help you gain important information about the timeline for hiring so that you can follow up appropriately.

The questions you ask can be just as important as the questions you answer. Make sure that you prepare in advance and consider the following when deciding what questions to ask – will the questions you ask help to convince the employer that you can do the job, that you will fit and that you are motivated?

Best of Luck