5 Smart Questions to Ask During a Job Interview

Over 65% of the interviewers and recruiters I've talked to say that the questions the interviewee asks are the most important thing they look for. Meaning, the questions that YOU ask THEM are more important than what they ask you. So prep for it.

This is almost like reversing the interview. You want to ask them questions that will reveal something about their company and it’s culture. The questions can be tough but fair, and it’s important not to overstep here.

Some good questions that I've found land well are:

1. So I know this role involves X and Z, how much of each would you say the role focuses on?

2. It seems like you guys are growing very quickly, what would you say are your goals for the next year or so? (this allows them to gloat a little bit and you should show you’re impressed by their ambitions)

3. How much opportunity is there to collaborate across departments and do people collaborate in general? (this tells you how compartmentalized your job will be and some indication of how much room there is to grow)

4. How long have you been working there? (this personalizes the conversation and takes interest in your interviewer) How do you like it so far? (again making it personal and humanizing)

5. Would you say there are any big challenges you’re facing? (this is the important one. It tells you how honest they are and what’s really going on at the company)

The questions you ask the interviewer are just as important as the questions you answer from the interviewer. In addition to asking smart interview questions, you'll also want to vary what kind of questions you answer during each stage of the interview process. 

In general there are 4 stages to the interview process:

1. Recruiter/Phone Screen
2. Hiring Manager
3. Coworkers
4. Executive

Some companies will have more stages and some will have fewer, but in general these are the main stages of the interview process.

As you move through each stage of the interview process you should vary the formality and complexity of your answers and your questions. This is something I go over thorougly in the Interviewing for Introverts course and something you should definitely practice if you haven't already.

If you're serious about getting a job I highly recommend taking one of the career courses below. Each course summarizes years of best practices I've learned from professional recruiters and working at LinkedIn.

Read more resume and interview best practices on The GHYC Blog.