Often, you prepare yourself for the interview to answer questions, but many overlook the part of the interview where it’s your turn to ask the questions.
This is not only an important part of the interview as you get to ask questions and find out more about the company and the position you’re applying for, but it’s still a part of an interview where the interviewer gets a chance to assess you some more.
Therefore, these 30 killer interview questions below will make a great fit for you to ask in an interview, so keep on reading to prepare yourself well!
Killer Interview Questions to Ask Employers
While you can come up with some questions on your own, it’s always better to take hints from questions that are strategically put together to assess the employer just the way he assesses you for the job. These 30 questions below will help you do that, so keep reading and choose the questions that fit your interview the most!
1. What are the responsibilities that come with the role?
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If you get the job, you’ll be expected to get things done and get them done right. Therefore, it’s important to ask up-front about all responsibilities of the role before you even get the job or accept the job.
This will help you learn if you are really a good fit for the role, if it’s challenging enough for you, or if it’s something you could do.
2. What does an ideal candidate look like?
You might see other candidates waiting in line to get interviewed, which might even intimidate you, so this question can help you understand the ideal candidate for the role and what the employer is looking for.
With the answer you get, you’ll be able to compare and estimate if you’re a good fit for the role or not.
3. How challenging this role is and what are the biggest challenges?
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When you’re trying to estimate if the salary is worth your time and effort, this is the question you should be asking.
The answer you get will help you understand some of the harder tasks associated with the role and some possible downsides or challenges you might have to deal with.
4. What does a typical workday or week look like in your company?
A role can seem great at first, and you might like everything offered on the paper, but you might never know exactly what to expect.
This question helps you learn what working in a company feels like, it can give you the company’s vibe, and it’s definitely a good question to ask the employer if you can’t chat with any of the employees in the company.
5. Should I expect overtime?
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Some people like to secure the job first before finding out and dealing with the things that might not positively contribute to the job’s experience. However, this question is important if you are trying to find out even the tiniest things that the employer might not be looking to say up-front and yet will do when you ask the question.
6. Can I expect to get further training and progression within the company?
No one is perfect, and some roles might require specific knowledge or a level of knowledge that’s harder to reach, so all candidates might be lacking in some aspects of the role.
You might even feel insecure about your skillset, and this question will help you learn more about the future of the role and if you’ll be able to develop your skills and progress within the company to have a better future.
7. Where do you see your company in the next five years?
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Committing yourself to a role, especially a demanding role in a company, will require a lot of sacrifice and effort on your end.
If that’s the case, this question is a perfect question to ask an employer to learn more about the company’s goals, mission, and plans for the future to learn if this is a company you’d like to stick with.
8. What do you like the most about your job or the company?
When employers give you a chance to ask a question, you better take it, and there’s no better time to turn the tables by asking the interviewer what he likes the most about the job or the company.
This will help you judge the company’s vibe, give you a chance to hear honest thoughts from someone who works at the company, and give you a tiny bit of information on what to expect from the company or the role on a day-to-day basis.
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9. What is the team like and how does a team collaborate and function in your company?
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Working on a team is not always easy, and every company will have a different approach. So if you are applying for a role that will require you to work within a team, this question can help you envision what it would be like to be a part of a team and how your role will fit within it.
10. Can you give me an example of a project I would be asked to work on and handle?
If you feel very capable of handling the role and you like everything a role offers, you can never be prepared more than by asking such a question to get hands-on experience on some of the things the company has been working on. This question can also make you a very interesting and serious candidate for the employer.
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11. Can you name the top three skills you’re looking for in a candidate?
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You know your strengths, and the employer might have a list of all skills they’re looking for in a candidate.
But by asking this question, you’ll be able to learn the most important skills for the role and then fairly match them to your top skills to learn if the position is a good fit for you.
12. How much experience is relevant to the role and will I be able to learn new skills?
Sometimes, experience might not be the most important requirement for the role, and if you don’t have much, this question will help you learn exactly what the employer is looking for in the candidates.
By asking this question, you can also learn if you’ll be able to gain new experience and learn new skills as you progress within the role to make yourself an even better fit (even if you meet the initial requirements of the position).
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13. Is this a newly created role and will there be any changes to the role in the near future?
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Positions are either newly created or existing positions that need to be filled again. Asking this question will help you learn if the role is secure and also what to expect from it in the future.
No one likes unexpected changes down the road, especially when you sacrifice things in your life for the job.
14. Where did the previous employees in this role progress to?
If you’re applying for an entry-level position, asking this question will help you learn about the available progress you can achieve in the company, but it’ll also make you come across as a very serious candidate.
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15. What can you tell me about the company’s plans for new products, projects, and expected growth?
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This question might make you interested more in the company and its future success, but the answer you get will also help you learn how much more workload you might be able to expect in the near future.
16. Who will I report to directly and what will my reports be like?
No matter how much information you get before you start working in a new position, you’ll never be able to know what to expect fully.
This question will help you understand who you will be reporting to and what kind of reports you will be making. This will also tell you more about your responsibility and what you will have to get done within the role.
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17. What are the day-to-day activities I will have to master?
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Every role will include responsibilities and they often come as daily activities you’ll have to master.
Asking this question will help you understand what a typical day at this job will be, what your main responsibilities will be, and what else is involved in the role.
18. What can I expect from the next steps following this interview process?
If you have no other questions or would like to know how the employer will choose the perfect candidate, you can ask more about the interview process by asking this question.
You’ll learn the timeline, process, and what to expect when you leave the interview room.
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19. What is expected of me to accomplish within the next three months if I get the position?
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If you get the job position, you will be expected to perform for a guaranteed salary.
And there’s no better way to learn exactly how to be a good employee (if you get the role) than asking what is expected of potential candidates for this role in the near future. This will also tell you more about the company’s mission, expectations, and even potential projects they have prepared.
20. How will the success of a candidate in this role be measured and what does success look like in this role?
When you like to think ahead and wonder how demanding the role might be, it’s never a bad idea to ask such a question to learn more about the performance requirements you’ll have to meet.
The answer you get from the employer will tell you exactly what and how to meet the expected demands and what is expected of a successful candidate.
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21. What management style can I expect for this role?
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Every role is different, and every position will have a different management style. Even though this is often overlooked, it can be really important for some positions and employees.
Depending on the management style, you’ll know how much creativity and freedom you will have in the role and also how much responsibility you’ll have.
22. What are some of the perks and rewards of working for this company?
Some roles can be tough, and if you don’t have any more questions, you can always ask this one to motivate yourself with some perks and rewards you might achieve if you get hired.
However, this question is also important if you want to know how a company treats its employees and what else is included besides the salary.
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23. Are there any downsides or least favorite things to consider about this role?
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Every role has advantages and disadvantages, and while it’s good to focus on the positives, it’s also important to ask such questions to hear firsthand from the employer what are some least favorite things to consider about the role.
This way, you’ll prepare yourself for both the good and bad, and it could even help you decide if the role is for you or how much of a salary you’d like to negotiate.
24. What do you think of my qualifications?
Many candidates will talk the talk or might not even ask any questions, but being direct is sometimes the best way to leave a good impression. Get down to business and discuss some of the most important aspects of the job, your qualifications, and whether or not you’d be a good fit for the role.
This way, you’ll be able to find out if you’re skilled enough for the job. And if there’s any doubt in the employer’s mind, you can openly discuss it, which is also a great benefit of asking this question.
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25. How soon should I be starting and is relocation a possibility?
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If you’re ending an interview with positive news of getting the role, you can still ask questions such as this one.
This question will help you learn the timeframe of the hiring process, and if you prefer relocating (or feel like you have to), this will help you get important answers right on the spot rather than leaving it for later.
26. Apart from skills and experience, what type of person are you looking for?
Skills and experience aren’t always the most important aspects. The character and type of person an employer will hire are also considered.
Suppose you’ve talked with the employer about your skills and experience. In that case, it’s always a good idea to ask this question to learn what they’re looking for in a person and to lead a conversation in such a direction where you can also add a tiny bit of boost to your interview.
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27. Is there anything in my resume that might make you question if I’m a good fit, that I could clarify?
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There’ll always be positive and negative first impressions and since skills, experience, and even character will play an important role in the deciding process, this is a direct question worth asking.
The answer will help you connect with the employer on a different level where you’ll show maturity and helpfulness that could help you leave a very positive overall impression.
28. Is there anything we can cover to complete this interview?
If you believe that the interview is coming to an end and you have no further questions, it’s always a smart idea to finish an interview with such a question.
This question will help you show you’re helpful and interested in the role as you’ll be asking the employer if they need anything else to make their process easier.
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29. When can I expect to hear back from you?
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Being curious about the hiring timeframe isn’t a bad thing, and this is a great question to ask right before the end of the interview, as you’ll find out what to expect after the interview is over.
30. Are there any other questions you’d like me to answer?
Even though the employer will question you first, your questions might raise some additional questions for the employer, and this is always a great question to end your interview with.
This will help you see if the employer wants to know anything else about you and might help you judge how well the interview went for you.
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Conclusion
Not only is your information important to the employer, but leaving a positive first impression while getting to know more about the role and the company you might potentially work for is also important.
You might not want to ask as many questions, but strategically choosing at least a couple of questions, and knowing how to read the employer’s answer, will be helpful.
Some of the questions can even help you leave a better first impression and show a bit of your character, which can be super important, especially considering employers meet with at least a couple of potential employees before making a choice.
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