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Interview Tips: Impress Your Interviewer with These Questions

When your interviewer asks you if you have any questions for them, a few that you came up with on the spot likely won’t uncover much useful information or make a lasting positive impression.

Seemingly benign, the customary conclusion of a job interview still catches some people off guard. Smart and prepared interviewees know well-thought-out questions can glean valuable details and show off intelligence, interest, and awareness to a potential employer.

The handy tips below can help you reap the dual benefits of asking your interviewer smart questions.

Ask a Probing Question

Inquiring about specific details of the open position is a good first question and indicates a strong interest and commitment to the process.

This question also indicates that you don’t see the job as a short-term stepping-stone and you’re hoping the position plays a long-term part in your future.

Find Out More About the Organization

Questions on the inner workings of a company are difficult ones to ask and require some research. Search Google News and social media to see what is being said about the business. Then, ask questions based on your research that relate to things like new products, business partners, or competitors. Avoid asking questions that be seen as accusatory or disparaging.

Business-related questions will show your potential new employer that you’re willing to put in the effort to impress them and that you’re genuinely interested in the actual business, not just the job role.

Ask About Culture

The last thing you want is to find out you’ve gotten yourself into a toxic work environment. While it may be unrealistic to expect a work environment straight out of a sitcom, it is crucial to steer clear of cultures that reward office politics over talent and hard work.

A good approach to asking about culture is to simply be upfront about it. Ask about their culture-building initiative and what people like best about coming to work every day.

Find Out How You’ll Be Judged

Clear expectations are essential to success and happiness at work. If don’t know what is expected of you, it probably means you spend a lot of time trying to make the right decisions. This isn’t a very satisfying or efficient way to do any job.

When you ask how your performance will be judged, it can give you a sense of your ability to succeed and it shows your interviewer that you want to do a good job if hired.

Ask About Your Weak Spots

Before wrapping up the interview, it’s a good idea to discover and deal with any possible issues surrounding your candidacy. Asking if your interviewer has any concerns about your ability to do the job allows you to confront your weaknesses head-on, reinforcing your candidacy.

Be ready to address concerns, review the job description, identify any of your shortcomings, and come up with ways to compensate for them. For instance, if you are a bit short on years of experience, you could talk about your proven track record of learning on the job.

We Can Help You Ace Your Next Interview

At Career Concepts, we not only connect people to promising job opportunities, we also prepare them to take those opportunities. Please contact us to find out how we can help you.

Blog published date

Aug 03, 2021
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