With evolving expectations around how we work, compensation, and professional vs. personal priorities, many jobseekers are wondering, “What can I ask in a job interview?”
As a candidate, your questions to the hiring company should establish two things—that your understanding of the role is the same as the employer’s and that you can confidently say “yes” to an offer because your questions have been answered.
I recommend asking no more than 12 questions, based on your priorities and goals, over the course of an interview process. Here are a few to consider:
To find out what the job really is:
-What does a typical day look like for this role?
-What are the core duties, and do you anticipate them changing in the coming year?
-What are the biggest challenges of this job?
-Can you provide a few examples of typical projects?
To confirm training and expectations:
-What is the training process?
-What do you expect in terms of mastery in the first 30, 60 or 90 days?
-How is performance assessed?
-How often are reviews conducted?
-What is the typical trajectory for this role?
To learn about the interviewer’s experience:
-When you started, what was the most unexpected aspect of your job or the company?
-What brought you to the company/how long have you been here?
-What’s motivated you to stay?
-What are your favorite things about the company?
-What are the hardest things about your role?
To get a sense of the culture:
-How would you describe the company and team culture?
-What kind of person tends to be happiest here?
-What are some recent challenges faced by the company/how were they handled?
-Where do you see the company headed?
-What is turnover like for this position/the company in general?
To understand work/life balance:
-What is the current WFH/in-office policy and do you anticipate it changing?
-Is overtime expected?
-Is travel expected?
-How does the company support work/life balance?
In an ideal process, many of these questions will be answered without you having to ask. However, be prepared with YOUR top 12 so you’re clear on expectations and making a move that makes sense for you.
