Great Questions to Ask Employers at The End of an Interview
Have a job interview coming up? Take a look at our guide to learn more about how to prepare great questions to ask employers at the end of an interview.
Table of Contents
- Should You Always Ask A Question At An Interview?
- Why You Should Always Ask Questions At The End of an Interview
- How to Research What Questions to Ask During the Interview
- How Many Questions Should You Ask?
- Avoid Asking Questions About the Following Topics
- 25 Great Questions To Ask An Employer at the End of a Job Interview
- What Do Our Consultants Say?
Should You Always Ask A Question At An Interview?
In short, yes.
At Berkley, our consultants always encourage candidates to ask plenty of questions during the interview.
Why You Should Always Ask Questions At The End of an Interview
Many people forget that job interviews are intended to be a two-way street. It is as much a chance for candidates to assess a potential employer as it is about the employer interviewing you. In the best case scenario, both parties should walk away from the experience convinced that the candidate, the job and the company are a perfect fit.
In addition, strategically-chosen questions can help the candidate stand out from the competition. The right question shows that you were engaged in the preceding conversation and are still interested in the role. Plus, it may provide an opportunity to show off any additional knowledge you may have. For example, you could refer to a recent news story or company announcement.
How to Research What Questions to Ask During the Interview
It can be tricky to come up with good questions on the spot, so you should brainstorm a list of questions as part of your interview prep. Your questions should highlight how well-informed you are and should not be easily answered by simply looking at the company website. There are a few resources you should refer to when brainstorming questions:
- Start with the job description. Check if any key information is missing or if there are any points on which the interviewer could elaborate.
- Then, research the company by looking up its website and social media.
- Look up the company name on Google News.
- Check out the LinkedIn profiles for your interviewers.
How Many Questions Should You Ask?
Ideally, you should have at least four or five questions prepared in advance of the interview. This ensures that you have backup questions even if one or two of your questions were already answered during the course of the interview.
Avoid Asking Questions About the Following Topics
- Avoid asking questions that focus too much on what the organisation can do for you.
- Don’t ask about salary and holiday allowance. Save these questions for when you’ve got a job offer.
- Avoid asking simple yes/no questions. Instead, ask naturally open-ended questions.
- Don’t ask questions that anyone could answer with a quick glance at the company website.
- Never ask a question that has already been answered during the interview as it shows you weren’t paying full attention at the time.
25 Great Questions To Ask An Employer at the End of a Job Interview
Questions About The Role
- Could you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this role?
- If I were taken on for this role, what would you want me to achieve in my first few months?
- What is the company’s strategic plan for the next year, and how will it impact this role?
- Are there mechanisms in place for performance reviews?
- What do you think is the most important indicator of success in this role?
- Is this a new position?
- Can you tell me more about the team I would be working with (if I successfully secured the role)?
- What does success look like in this role?
- Could you give me an example of a typical day in this role?
Questions About The Company
- What qualities and attributes make for a successful employee in the company?
- How would you describe the management style here?
- What are the company’s values?
- How would you describe the company culture?
- How would you describe the work/life balance here?
- What is the greatest challenge currently facing the company?
- What are the company’s goals for the upcoming year?
- Are there opportunities for professional development?
- Is there anything that we haven’t discussed that you think is important for me to know about working here?
Questions About The Interviewer
- What do you enjoy most about working here?
- What are some changes you think will happen in the next five years at this here?
Questions About You
- Do you have any concerns about my suitability for this role?
- Do you think that I am missing any qualifications?
- Have I answered all your questions?
Next Steps
- Could you tell me the timeline for making a decision and when you think I can expect to hear from you?
- If I am successful today, what do the next steps look like?
- Do you need any further information from me to help you make your decision?
What Do Our Consultants Say?
“I think a great question to ask is ‘Can you tell me more about the challenges your company currently facing?’ If the candidate has been through a similar situation, they can really sell themselves here.”
“Depending on the role – I would always recommend candidates to ask some of the below questions:
- If you were describing the ideal candidate for this role, how would you describe them?
- How would you describe the company culture?
- What is your favourite thing about working here?
- What does the career progression look like here?
- Where do you see the company in the next five years?
- What does a typical day look like?
- What does success look like for this position?
- What is the biggest challenge in this job?”
Liked This? Why Not Read Our Other Guides On Commonly-Asked Job Interview Questions
- Tell Me About Yourself
- Why Do You Want to Work With Us?
- Why Should We Hire You?
- What Are Your Strengths & Weaknesses?
- Why Should We Hire You?
- What Are Your Salary Expectations?
- Why Did You Leave Your Previous Job?
- How to Explain Gaps on Your CV in a Job Interview
- How do you manage conflict at work?
- How to Answer Competency-Based Interview Questions