Questions to Ask Your Job Interviewer

If you’re reading this article, you’ve probably heard that you should always ask questions when you’re on a job interview. It can be overwhelming to come up with questions on the spot after you’ve been talking about yourself for at least half an hour, but if you have these questions prepared, you’ll appear more confident and you’ll get the information you need about your potential new job.

1. What have you enjoyed most about working here? When you ask this question, listen for things that you would also enjoy about a workplace or career. If the interviewer can easily answer the question and his or her answers match things that you would enjoy, you may be in the right place. However, if your interviewer stumbles through an answer or describes things that you would hate in a workplace, it’s time to move on.
2. Could you describe a typical day for a person in this position? The answer to this question should help you determine if the responsibilities are clearly defined and if the job is something that you would enjoy on a day to day basis. Again, if the interviewer struggles to answer or describes a day that doesn’t suit you, keep looking elsewhere.
3. Is there room for growth in this company/position? Clearly, the answer should be yes. It’s important for you to grow both personally and professionally so that you don’t get bogged down doing the same exact things with little to no pay increase in the future. If you can’t grow, you’ve got to go.
4. Ask questions about what’s important to you in a job. Each person is looking for something specific when searching for a job, so ask questions about what you want from this position. Maybe you really want a healthcare or a retirement plan – do they offer that? Are the hours flexible? Can I work from home if my child is sick? Is equality important to the company when considering salaries for male and female employees? Figure out what you value most in a company or position and ask questions to find out if this opportunity fulfills your needs and matches your values.

While the interviewer is trying to determine if you’re a good candidate for the position, you can determine if the company is a good fit for you. Many Americans are unhappy with their current jobs; perhaps those are the people who didn’t ask enough questions!