Interview questions that will land you the job?

Five Good Questions To Ask Your Interviewer In 2022

Between the Great Resignation and skills gaps affecting businesses across numerous industries, it’s probably never been a better time to be a candidate looking to further your career. Asking thoughtful questions at interview is a great way to show that you’re taking the process seriously and that you have the confidence to ask for what you need to know. After all, you should also be using the opportunity to decide whether you want to work for them. So, what are some of the questions you can ask that will help you stand out during an interview?

Do you offer flexible or hybrid working?

The pandemic has opened businesses up to different approaches to work, whether that’s enabling employees to work a hybrid schedule that includes a mixture of both time in the office and remote work or simply offering more relaxed working hours. Many companies are also hiring employees on a fully remote basis. Research shows a flexible schedule can lead to more focus and less stress, so it’s worth asking whether the company you’re interviewing for is offering any of these options.

Where do you see the business in the next five years?

This is a great question for getting an idea of whether or not the organisation is heading in a direction that you’d like to be involved in. It’s a good sign if they’re able to talk about a realistic set of goals and an overarching plan to achieve them. While any company with growth plans is likely to be able to offer an exciting vision, it’s worth paying close attention to the energy and tone of the interviewer’s response on this one. Similarly, if you don’t share that ambition for your own career, this could really be a decider on whether this is the right opportunity for you.

How does the company support continued learning?

Not only will give you some insight into whether the company is prepared to invest in you in the long-term, it’ll show that you understand the importance of working adaptively because industry contexts are constantly shifting. The best answers here will mention training and upskilling opportunities.

Could you break down what my role would look like?

This is a great way to measure expectation versus reality. The same position can differ massively between organisations and sectors, so it’s important to get an idea of what your day-to-day workload might be. While you don’t need an interviewer to break it down into granular level, their answer should give you a better idea of where your priorities will lie—and whether this matches both your skills and what you want from the role.

How does this position fit into the overall company mission?

This question will indicate that you’re interested in contributing to something bigger than just the immediate fulfilment of your duties. It communicates that you’re seeking work that you’ll find meaningful, that you want to know what you’ll be working towards. Your interviewer should be able to connect the position you’re interviewing for to a broader picture of the organisation’s work.

Interview prep is vital and these questions could help distinguish you from other applicants. They’ll also help you gain some insights that can be really useful in deciding whether or not to accept an offer. Remember that a good interview should feel like a conversation so try be organic with how you approach asking your questions. And if you don’t manage to ask everything you wanted during the interview, follow-up questions in an e-mail can be another positive gesture.