You breeze through your interview, and your interviewer asks if you have any questions. You say “no thanks, nothing else to ask!” and make your way home. See anything wrong with this picture?
In general, you want to ask at least a few questions after the interview to show your interest in the company. It’s another chance to shine as a candidate for the job. Think of it this way—if you and another candidate both ace the interview, but the other candidate asks insightful questions that show they care about the position and company, who do you think is going to get the job?
Here are a few unique questions to ask.
- Is there anything else you’d like to ask me?
Even if you felt that you answered your interviewer’s questions perfectly, there might still be a few things they’d like clarification on. When they ask you if you have any questions, just say “Yes, but before I get to those, would you like any additional info regarding the questions I answered before?” With this question, you’re giving your interviewer a chance to ask for more details.
- What does the company culture mean to you?
An interview isn’t just a chance for a company to see if you’d make a great employee; it’s also a chance for you to make sure the company would make a stellar employer.
A big part of fitting in with a company is the culture. Although you can research a company’s culture online, nothing beats asking a current employee what the company culture means to them. You’ll get a specific answer from their point of view, and they’ll see that you’re interested in the company beyond a paycheck.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
This is a question that interviewers ask all the time, but one they rarely receive from applicants themselves. If you’re going to work at a company, you want to know what the career ladder looks like. Asking an interviewer where they are headed in their career can help you understand what to expect for your own career should you take the job.
- What type of training and professional development does your company offer to employees?
Interviewers may view questions about promotion opportunities during the interview as you not being interested in the position you’re applying for. However, asking about how the company handles training and professional development is a way to get around that issue. You want to work at a company that develops new talent and asking this question will tell you what you need to know.
Are there any other questions you like to ask during interviews? Let us know in the comments section below!
