Job interviews are your best opportunity to  ask the curly questions…

Often when you’re at a job interview, the focus is on you selling yourself and your skills for the position.

In the majority of cases, you leave the job interview thinking of the many questions you didn’t ask OR regretting the questions you did.

Remember, though, that choosing a new job is also about choosing an employer – are they a good fit for your career goals and will you progress professionally and personally at this new workplace? I remind my clients that workplaces are a second home, considering the time you will spend there.

The best time to find out if a company is a good fit for you is during your interview. Why? Because you will have senior members giving you their full attention in a situation where questions about the company are invited (and expected).

So, to help you land a great job that suits YOU here are my top 10 questions to ask during a job interview.

1/ What challenges do you think this position could encounter in the first 6-12 months and how do you hope the new hire will overcome them?

Why this question?

To give you a better insight of the challenges you could encounter and how your future boss expects you to fix them. So, if their answer is a long, long list of challenges or they’re challenges that aren’t a good fit for your skills, you know that this job isn’t for you.

2/ How would my role affect the business in the short, medium and long-term?

Why this question?

This will paint you a pretty good picture of how your position impacts the wider business and it will give you an idea of the potential longevity of the position.

3/ How does this company support personal and professional development?

Why this question?

Most of the time, you walk into an interview thinking about how much you can offer the company but have you thought about what they can offer you? This is one of the

important questions because their answer will indicate how much your personal and professional growth matters to them and it will give you an insight into how much budget (if any) they for something so important.

4/ What does success look like to you in this role?

Why this question?

I like this question for two reasons: 1) regardless if this role is your dream job or a stepping-stone to it, you want to know how to keep your employer happy and asking this question will give you the answer. 2) Their answer will let you know if you can achieve the success they expect.

5/ Can you tell me about your experience at this company?

Why this question?

This question gives you insight into your future boss and their career progression in the company. For example, their answer could include how long they’ve been in this company, whether they’ve progressed and how quickly (or slowly), or if they’ve been in the company for years and haven’t seen changes in that time. It puts them in the hot seat and it’s worth it.

Get all 10 interview questions here in a download-friendly format, so you can take them with you!