AMY GALLO: All right.
You're in a job interview.
It's going great.
You've answered all their questions quite well you think.
And then comes that question that turns the tables--
you know the one.
So, do you have any questions for me?
When the interviewer opens up the floor to you,
you don't want to be caught off guard.
And you don't want to miss an opportunity
to prove your right for the job and gather crucial information.
So it's a good idea to be prepared.
Luckily, I'm here to help.
I've got 38 really smart questions
you can ask to show that you're right for the job.
Ready?
Here they are.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Oh, still there?
I guess I owe you some more context.
Obviously, you're not going to ask all those questions.
So let's break them down.
And I'll walk you through what you're actually
going to do in that moment in the interview.
Keep watching.
First, let's talk broadly about what
you want to accomplish with this portion of the interview.
You have two goals here.
One, asking smart questions will help
you assess whether the job is indeed one you want.
And second, those questions will help further
demonstrate that you're the right person for the job.
To achieve those goals, you'll want
to pay attention to how you phrase your questions.
First, make them personal.
Instead of asking generic questions, make them specific,
how they pertain to you.
For example, instead of asking what would a typical day look
like, try asking, what would a typical day for me in this role
look like?
According to John Lees, author of How to Get a Job You
Love, this is a great psychological trick
that gets them to picture you in the role.
He says, "As soon as they visualize you doing the job,
it's hard to let go of that image."
Second, you want to build off the conversation adding
to what's happened so far.
For example, you might ask about a project that they mentioned
or a responsibility that didn't show up in the job description.
The key is to make this portion of the interview feel
like a continuation of the conversation.
This requires that you be nimble in the actual interview
and that you adjust your questions accordingly.
But it's helpful to have a sense of the questions you'll ask
and to have a few in your back pocket.
Of course, as I said earlier, you're
not going to ask all 38 questions that I'm
about to share with you.
So choose a few that are relevant to you,
your interests, and the specific job.
And write those down.
Have a glance at them before you go into the interview
so they're fresh in your mind.
All right, let's get to those questions, all 38 of them.
First up, questions about the job itself.
These will help you zero in on whether this
is a role you really want.
These are pretty basic questions about the responsibilities
you'll have, the projects you might work on,
how your performance might be assessed.
Here they are.
Number one, what are your expectations
for me in this role?
Number two, what's the most important thing
I should accomplish in the first 90 days?
Three, what's the performance review process like here?
And how often would I be formally reviewed?
Four, what metrics or goals will my performance
be evaluated against?
Five, what are the most immediate projects
that I would take on?
Six, how long before I will be, and fill in the blank
here, meeting with clients, have responsibility
for my own accounts, interacting with other departments,
et cetera?
Next, here are some questions that will get you clarity
on the team.
You'll be working with.
These get into the nitty gritty of how they see you
fitting into the larger group.
What the team's needs are, who else is on it, whether you'll
be managing people, and what other departments
you'll be working with.
Let's look at those questions.
Number seven, what types of skills
is the team missing that you're looking
to fill with a new hire?
Eight, what are the biggest challenges that I
might face in this position?
Nine, do you expect my main responsibilities
in this position to change in the next six months or a year?
10, can you tell me about the team I'll be working with?
11, who will I work with most closely?
What other departments or units will I interact with?
12, can you tell me about my direct reports?
What are their strengths and the team's biggest challenges?
A lot of times the person interviewing you
will be your potential boss.
If that's the case, here are some questions for them.
These will give you a sense of who you'll be working for,
their relationship to the larger organization,
and whether you want to be working for them.
Here are the questions.
Number 13, how long have you been at the company?
14, how long have you been a manager?
15, what's your favorite part of working here?
And here are some smart questions
to ask about the company itself.
You want to get a good sense of whether the organization's
goals and values align with your own.
Here they are.
Number 16, what are the current goals
that the company is focused on?
And how does this team work to support hitting those goals?
17, what gets you most excited about the company's future?
18, how would you describe the company's values?
19, how has the company changed over the last few years?
20, what are the company's plans for growth and development?
One important note here.
Don't ask things you can find in a quick Google search.
You don't want them to think you haven't done your research.
Of course, understanding the company culture is crucial.
So here are some questions that get at that.
Number 21, how do you typically onboard employees?
22, what do new employees typically
find surprising after they start?
23, is there anything that I should
read before starting that would help
me have a shared understanding with my colleagues?
24, what's your favorite office tradition?
25.
what do you and the team usually do for lunch?
26, do you ever do joint events with other departments
or teams?
27, what's different about working here than anywhere
else you've worked?
28, how has the company changed since you joined?
John Lees warns that you should take answers
to these questions about culture with a grain of salt.
It's highly unlikely that an interviewer
is going to come out and say this is an unwelcoming place
to work or that it's even a toxic environment.
That's why slightly indirect questions like number 22,
what do new employees find surprising, can be helpful.
They get at company culture without explicitly
asking about it.
One tip related to remote work from Art Markman, the author
of Bring Your Brain to Work.
If the job you're interviewing for
is going to be fully remote, be sure to ask specifically
about how remote employees are onboarded and integrated
into the company culture.
Another critical element of the job that you want to understand
is what your growth and career development will look like.
You need to be sure you can see yourself in the role
that you're currently applying for,
but also that you can see a future for yourself
in the organization.
Here are some questions that get at career paths and development
opportunities.
Number 29, what learning and development opportunities
will I have in this role?
30, how does the team I'll be part of continue
to grow professionally?
31, are there examples of a career path beginning
with this position?
32, what are the common career paths in this department?
33, how are promotions typically handled?
34, where have successful employees moved on to?
OK.
These last four are good questions
to conclude with, though, make sure that you've
covered all your bases.
And that what's happening next in the hiring process.
Here they are.
Number 35, what am I not asking you that I should?
36, is there anything else I can provide you
with that would be helpful?
37, is there anything I can clarify for you
about my qualifications?
38, what are the next steps in the hiring process?
When wrapping up, you may be tempted
to ask about salary or start date.
But that's probably not a good idea.
It's too early to ask about those things,
because you're not yet in a position to negotiate.
Let them fall in love with you first.
Then negotiate.
Here are some examples of other questions you shouldn't ask.
Can you tell me about your health insurance?
What are your paid leave policies?
So, do I have the job?
So there you go, 38 smart questions to ask
and a few bonus ones not to ask.
As a reminder, you're not going to ask all of them.
Be mindful of the interviewer's time.
And if you have just a few minutes left,
choose two or three that are most important to you.
You will always have time to ask more questions once you
have the offer in hand.
Good luck.
Thanks for watching.
All of these questions are from my HBR article,
which is linked in the description below.
Do you have a piece of advice about interviewing for jobs
or is there a topic you'd like us to cover in the future?
Comment below.
Bye for now.