If you’re looking for questions to ask in an interview then look no further. We’ve put together a list of killer interview questions that cover all your bases, as well as plenty more questions to choose from if you need to.
Because answering the questions you are asked correctly is obviously important, but it’s not the only important thing for you to do.
Because the interview is also your opportunity to show that you’re eager, and excited about the opportunity. And an interview is a two-way street: And you’re interviewing them just as much as they are you. It’s your opportunity to find out anything you want to know about the role and company, to see whether it’s a good fit for you.
In this article we’ll look at:
- Tips for Asking Questions in a Job Interview
- 10 Killer Questions to Ask in an Interview
- Questions to ask about the social atmosphere and company culture
- Personal questions to ask about the interviewer
- Questions to ask about the training and development opportunities
- Common questions to ask about career and progression
- Creative questions to ask about the company
But before we get stuck into the questions you should ask in an interview, let’s have a look at some quick tips to help you ask the questions that are right for you individually.
5 Tips for Asking Questions in a Job Interview
The questions that are best for you, are individual to your unique situation. Which is why it’s best to remember these quick tips on interview questions:
- Ask at least some questions to show that you’re interested
While you might be ready for the interview to finish and get out before anything goes wrong, we would recommend asking at least a few questions. You want to show the interviewer that you’re interested in the role, and asking questions is a great way to show that you’re eager.
- Ask the important questions
While you want to put your best foot forward, if you have any burning questions where you need to know the answer, then you should definitely ask away. You don’t want to make a decision based on 50% of the information you need.
- Don’t just ask questions on what the job can do for you
The questions you ask should cover a few different areas: the opportunity, the company, and even the interviewers personal experiences. And while it’s fine to ask questions about benefits, salary etc. you don’t want every question to be focused on what the job and company can do for you.
- Have extra questions prepared as a backup
Some of the questions you have prepared will be answered as the interview goes on. Which is great, because it gives you more room to ask other questions at the end of the interview that you wanted to know the answer to. What this does mean however, is having plenty of questions ready as backups.
- Don’t ask questions with obvious answers
Before your interview you should have done some research into the company. So avoid asking questions to which you could find the answers to on the company website or social media. It could make you look lazy and uninterested because you didn’t do your research.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s look at the best, and our favourite, questions to ask in an interview.
10 Killer Questions to Ask in an Interview
As we’ve discussed, some of these questions will be answered over the course of the interview. So avoid asking them again where possible, as it may just look like you weren’t paying attention. But these are a selection of our favourite questions to ask, that cover a wide range of topics.
1. What will my training and development look like?
This is a great question to ask, as it shows great things about you. It already looks like you’re committed to the long-term of the company, and thinking of the future. And every company wants an employee who is interested in continuing their own development and becoming a more valuable and skilled employee.
Additionally, it’s a great question for you to ask. It tells you what kind of training will be available, and how well planned out your progression and position will be. If the interviewer can’t give you a concrete answer, then that may be a red flag.
2. What are opportunities for career progression? And how do I reach them?
Similar to the above, this question shows that you’re both committed to staying for the long-term of the company, and are eager to continue your own development.
And the best companies that we work with here at Dynamic have established career progression plans for new hires, as well as criteria for them to hit. So you can easily see what you need to achieve in a role.
And again, if the company doesn’t have a defined career progression plan for your position, that could be a big warning sign for your progression opportunities.
3. What will the first 3 months look like in this role?
This question will help to give you an idea of what is expected of you as you join the company, as well as giving you some insight into what the priorities of the position are.
It will give you some idea also of the expected workload, and what the day-to-day of your role may look like. As well as if you’re expected to hit the ground running, and what kind of onboarding you will receive.
This is also a common question for interviewers to ask you! So it is worth thinking about what you’re expecting to hear before you head in anyway.
4. And what can I do to exceed your expectations in these first three months?
This is a great follow up to the previous question and can be combined with it. It shows your potential future employer that you’re not just interested in doing the bare minimum and are actively looking to impress.
This also drives home what the priorities of the role are, and gives you insight on whether this is the right role for you.
5. What are any reservations you have about me for this role?
This is one of our favourite questions to ask an interviewer at the end of an interview.
It helps to get any issues that the interviewer has with your application out in the open. This in turn allows you to argue your case, and perhaps assuage any fears that the interviewer may have, increasing your chances of being offered the role.
It also helps by showing that you know you aren’t a flawless applicant. That you know you may have areas of weakness, but are happy to discuss them.
6. What is the company’s 5 year plan, and how will my work impact it?
This question again shows that you’re interested in the long-term plan of the business, and you’re planning to stick around.
And also gives you insight into where the company is headed and what part you will play in. How will the role evolve overtime, and how will your work matter? These are important questions that can have a direct contribution to your work satisfaction in the long term.
7. What’s the company culture and social atmosphere like?
The culture and social atmosphere of the company will have a direct impact on how much you enjoy your work. And you don’t want to wait until you start your new job to find out whether the company’s culture is one you’ll enjoy.
For example if you’re someone who prefers to work solo, working as a member of a big team with a collaborative and social atmosphere with constant collaboration might not be the one for you.
Conversely, if you’re someone who loves working with others and needs guidance, then joining a company that prides itself on giving its team independence in their work, you’ll likely be a little lost.
8. What has your own experience been like working here?
To gain some insight into the reality of what working at the company will be like, you can ask the interviewer about their own personal experiences during their time at the company.
Of course, this isn’t the single most unbiased source on the planet, but can still be useful depending on their answer. For example, if someone doesn’t give a convincing answer, it can possibly indicate that working there may not be the best thing in the world like you’ve been told.
Additionally, questions like these about the interviewer themselves can help to establish a great personal connection. The purpose of an interview
9. Can you tell me about the team I will be joining?
It’s important to understand how the company is structured, who you will be working with and reporting to. And questions like this are great at hopefully gaining an insight into your future potential co-workers before you consider accepting.
It also allows you to reiterate your interest. After all, you wouldn’t be asking about the people you might be working with if you weren’t interested in the role.
And if you will be collaborating with others constantly, then you can emphasise your own strengths and experience of working with others. Or, if you haven’t worked with others before, you can say that you’re excited about the opportunity to.
While these are some absolutely killer questions that you can ask your interviewer, the possible questions you can ask are obviously, practically limitless. But there are different kinds of questions that may be more appropriate depending on which area about the role or company that you need to know more.
10. How did your company adapt to the pandemic and the shift to remote working?
This question can give you a little insight into the management and leadership of the business. Some businesses will have adapted quickly to remote working. Meanwhile others will have used the opportunity to update systems and retrain employees. But others will have sought to reduce costs by letting employees go to stay afloat.
Whatever the business chooses will tell you a lot about how the business values its employees, and may influence your decision.
Questions to ask about the social atmosphere and company culture
The company culture can have a huge impact on your happiness at work and overall work satisfaction and wellbeing. Which is why it’s important to ask at least a couple of questions about the social atmosphere, to see if it’s the right one for you.
- What is the work environment like? Is it typically collaborative or more independent working?
- What was the last company event, what did you do?
- Does the team typically spend time together during work hours or outside of work hours?
- How does your company handle the balance between remote and in-office employees, and ensure that they both have equal opportunities.
- How flexible are you with working hours and days in the office?
Personal questions to ask the interviewer
Asking personal questions to the interviewer is a great way to find out what working at the company is really like. And everyone likes to talk about themselves, so it can also help in creating a personal connection with the interviewer.
- What made you want to join the company when you first interviewed here?
- How has your role changed and evolved over the time that you’ve been here?
- What’s your favourite part about working here?
- What’s the biggest challenge you face in your work?
- What are you most excited for in the future of your role? Any projects or progression you’re looking forward to?
Questions to ask about the training and development opportunities
Training and development are crucial to progressing in your career. And the best businesses we work with all place a great emphasis on the certifications or external training they support their employees with. Which means it’s imperative to find out about it before it’s too late.
- What is your onboarding process for this position, and how will it help me to be successful in the role?
- Does your business prioritise internal or external training?
- What support does your business offer with earning additional certifications?
- Does your business attend industry conferences or events, which I would have the opportunity to attend?
- Do I have the opportunity to explore training and development initiatives of my own choosing, or are they decided by the business?
Common questions to ask about career and progression
Similarly to training and development, it’s imperative to show that you’re interested in progressing further in your career. As well as it being important that you find out exactly what opportunities you have to progress, and make sure they align with your career plan.
- What career progression opportunity will there be for upwards progression?
- What are the opportunities for lateral progression to learn new and complementary skill sets?
- How long does it typically take someone to be promoted from my position?
- What are the main metrics that will be used to evaluate my performance?
- How often will I have a performance review?
Creative questions to ask about the company
Asking questions about the company is imperative to discerning the current economic state of the business, as well as showing that you’re interested in more than just the position and what is on offer for you.
- What new projects are in the pipeline for the business that I will have the opportunity to work on?
- What’s the company’s five year plan, and how will my work support this?
- How does the company actively work to ensure that the company values are maintained?
- Which new area or technology is the company focusing on, and providing training for the team in?
- What kind of company social events does the business host?
Obviously the questions you could ask in an interview are limitless. But these are the ones we consider most important, that will give you the greatest insight. If you feel ready then good luck! But if you’re thinking about the kinds of questions you might be asked by the interviewer, you can have a look at our guide here.