Do you have any questions for me?
When an interviewer stops quizzing you
and offers you a chance to probe them, candidates often freeze.
Don't make this mistake.
In this video, I'll explain why you should always
ask questions, how to ask them, and I'll
give you a list of the top 10 questions
to ask hiring managers during an interview.
The goal is to learn more about the job, the team,
their expectations, and give you a chance
to emphasize why you're the best person for the role.
I'll also include a couple of pro tips
that'll help set you apart from other candidates.
Be sure to stick around for my favorite question, the closer
question, which could inspire your interviewer to say,
we should make an offer.
Let's dive in!
Why it's important to ask questions:
it's natural to feel nervous during an interview.
You want to answer every question
to the best of your ability.
Often, we think that the sole purpose of interviews
is to persuade hiring managers that we are the right fit,
but it's not.
Your job is to understand as much as possible
about the opportunity, apply your own self-awareness,
and use game theory to see if you and the job
are a good fit for each other.
The best strategy to achieve this
is to ask your interviewer thoughtful questions.
This is your chance to further showcase your curiosity
and your interest in the role.
Also, leading the conversation is a great way
to direct to a topic that is yet to be discussed.
You can use this opportunity to your advantage.
Show that you've done the research
and have the personal motivation to succeed in this role.
Now that you know why should ask questions,
let's quickly talk about how to ask them.
But before I move on, if you've watched this far,
give us a like, subscribe, and hit
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How to ask questions: it's unnecessary to cram all 10
questions into a single interview.
You want to be prepared, but use your best judgment
and focus on the questions that are most significant to you,
the role, and the interviewer.
As a best practice, I recommend asking at least three questions
during an interview.
Now, it's also increasingly common for interviews
to be a fluid conversation, not a tennis match.
If that's the case, many of these questions
can be peppered throughout your talk.
You don't have to wait until the end.
Just trust your gut throughout the conversation
to determine when it's appropriate to shift
from giving an answer to asking a question of your own.
Now that you know why you should ask questions
and how to ask them, let's get into it.
The 10 questions fall into 3 categories: the job,
the company, and you.
First up, questions about the specific job: #1:
Why is the team looking to fill this role?
This question can be quite revealing.
You might learn something hidden that the interviewer hadn't
intended to share.
For example, if the position is vacant
because the previous employee quit after a short period,
that could be a red flag.
Equally, if the previous employee
is getting a promotion, that's a sign
of potential growth trajectory.
#2: What has been a challenge for people
in this job in the past?
This question can provide a more realistic look
into the team and culture.
Hearing what failure has looked like
can help ensure it isn't repeated.
If there are systemic roadblocks to getting the job done well,
it may be telling about how successful you'll
be in the role.
Listen carefully to what the hiring manager is expecting.
#3: What is the most important impact I
can make in the first 90 days?
A job description can be dense and confusing.
When you ask about your immediate impact,
you're signaling to the potential boss
that you're already thinking like an employee who
cares and wants to do well.
And here's a Pro Tip: surprisingly, the hiring
manager may not have written the job description.
It's common for the job that you saw
posted online to have started from a template
or a previous vacancy.
Asking a direct question like this
ensures that you and the hiring manager
have equal expectations going in.
Next, we'll get into a couple of questions about the company.
What do you think are major trends affecting the company
in the next year or two?
Inviting a conversation about the broader company
gives you a chance to bring up any research that you've done,
and this shows that you're motivated to get the job.
The response you get, can also help
you understand how the future of the company
might impact your own professional future.
What makes someone successful at this company?
Is there anything I should do starting day one?
Every organization has their own way of doing things.
When you ask about the behaviors of successful employees,
you encourage the interviewer to open up and share some insights
that they've picked up.
For example, a job posting might not
say that overtime is expected.
But by asking this question, you can help to reduce ambiguity.
And these nuggets of information will
help you determine if the fit is right and, if so,
what you need to do to be successful from the start.
What have you learned or how have
you changed since working here?
Like the previous question, asking
about how the interviewer has fared the company
can foreshadow how the company might change you.
If the interviewer is positive about how they've changed,
well, that's a great indication of a healthy workplace,
which encourages growth and a supportive atmosphere.
This question is also about showcasing your communication
skills and connecting more deeply with the interviewer.
Plus, people love talking about themselves.
To learn more about how to answer common interview
questions, check out this video.
Now we'll get into some new questions, questions
to showcase your awesomeness.
#7: What skills are needed to be successful in this role?
Like asking about challenges for past employees,
this question focuses on the positive characteristics.
When the hiring manager answers, respond
by demonstrating times when you've
embodied those same attributes in past roles.
#8: What problem can I tackle for you quickly in this job?
No matter who you're interviewing with,
whether it's the boss or a potential colleague,
everyone will appreciate your desire to help.
Pay attention to what you hear.
And if you join the company, work quickly
to show that you remember.
Earning political capital by helping others, not just
your immediate boss, will pay off.
#9: Based on the interview, what feedback do you have for me?
This question expands the conversation
so you can hear what they really think of you as a candidate
and it signals your willingness to absorb feedback,
suggesting that you want to learn and improve.
This indicates a high level of resilience and self-awareness,
two traits good leaders seek.
And for my Insider Tip: when you're
given a chance to ask a final question, ask this, the closer.
#10: When you saw my background, what
persuaded you to interview me?
Now, when asked with poise, this question is a gold mine.
First, you learn what the interviewer really cares about.
Second, you may hear hesitations, which
you can address in the moment.
Finally, have you heard the saying "People never
remember what you say, but they remember
how you made them feel"?
When the last minute or two of an interview
is the hiring manager sharing why they should hire you,
they'll be left feeling confident
in their own good judgment.
Now that we've gone through the top 10 questions
to ask a hiring manager, here's a quick recap.
#1: Why is the team looking to fill the role?
#2: what has been a challenge for people in this job?
#3: What is the most important impact I
can make in the first 90 days?
#4: What do you think are the major trends affecting
the company in the next year?
#5: What makes someone successful at this job?
#6: What have you learned or how have you
changed since working here?
#6: What skills are needed to be successful in this role?
#8: What problem could I tackle for you
immediately in this job?
#9: Based on this interview, what feedback
do you have for me?
#10: When you saw my background, what
persuaded you to interview me?
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And for more tips, I'd recommend checking out this playlist.
Thank you so much for watching.
We'll see you next time!