- Closing the Deal -
questions you should ask
by fergus mellon
Good candidates will have some really well thought through questions. The weakest candidates are the ones who say either "No, I have no questions" OR "You have answered all mine". Below are some ideas for the types of questions you should have. Obviously make sure that they are your own and what you care about in determining if the job is the right fit for you.
Can you tell me what an average day is? This will give you a good idea of what the tasks you will be doing each day and what the expectations of your manager will be. What is your management style? This is a good one to ask your manager as you will understand how they will want to work with you. How would you describe your team’s culture? Ask this to members of the team you will be joining. You will get a nice idea of whether it is a healthy environment or one that you want to steer clear of. On your website you say XYZ about internal mobility, what should I really expect in my first 3 years at the company? How has your career progressed at XY Company? What are the things you enjoy the most about [your job] [working at XY Company? If you were to leave this company, what would you miss most? This is a great question that I was only asked recently and enjoyed thinking through my response as I had not previously thought about it. The other reason why it is a great question is that it is really asking the interviewer what is unique about the company. It will really help you understand why the company you have applied for is special. What are the most challenging things you find about working at your company? One Don't. Do not ask how you did at the interview! Asking this will be a flag to the interviewer that you are unprofessional / unsure of yourself. Ask what the next steps in the process are by all means, but do not ask if you have got the job! Next Section: Uh oh the company wants me to prepare a presentation aka “The SIM’ or go back to The Interview Overview. ==== Visiting these pages because you've been to a number of interviews and not yet got a job? Don't worry. Or if you're worrying know that it's common for a job search to take months and not days. Here are some related columns on keeping motivated and dealing with the stress of it all: Keeping Positive During Your Job Search Dealing With Rejection and Feedback Overwhelmed? Try a Mental Refresh
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