You have nearly completed your job interview, and the session is coming to a close when suddenly the employer or the hiring manager asks whether you have any questions for him?
What is the first thing that will cross an interviewee’s mind? It is a resounding no but let me tell you that this is a wrong answer and will result in a mark against you and not in your favour.
It is imperative that a candidate prepares for this eventuality and has a list of interview questions for the employer. This shows that the interviewee has taken the necessary trouble to research about it and compile a list that he thinks is important.
It makes you look enthusiastic, interested and engaged in the process. Moreover, it is a golden opportunity to highlight your relevant qualities and provide an impression of interest in the role.
Some questions that a candidate can ask his employer or hiring manager are discussed below.
#1. How long did the previous employee hold this position?
An important interview question for the employer is about the previous employee that held this position. You must know about your predecessor and how long he lasted in that job.
If none of the previous employees has held the position long enough that could mean either the manager has unrealistic expectations or there is a serious lack of training that needs to be done before starting on your responsibilities.
If you get a sense of high turnover, you must ask a follow-up question related to it so that you do not have to face similar disadvantages.
#2. How do you measure the success of the employee in this position?
One of the interview questions for the employers is measuring the success of an individual in a position in their company. This tells the would-be employee what needs to be done as part of his job profile to achieve optimal performance.
It is a mistaken belief that the advertised profile explains the role and responsibility of what the job entails. Sometimes hiring managers post job descriptions that are not in sync with what the manager wants from his employee in his department and at other times the role might include ten responsibilities, but the success depends on just two or three of them hence it becomes doubly important to get an idea about the role and what it involves.
#3. Can you tell me about the responsibilities of the role daily?
A significant interview question for the employers is about the employee’s role and his responsibilities daily. It will give you an insight into the demands of the job and whether you require some extra skills or training to fulfill your responsibilities.
#4. What are your expectations in terms of accomplishment from this position in the first year?
This interview question for the employer will give the applicant a sense about the pace of the organization and what do they expect from an employee and the related team. You can know whether you will have to undergo training or not and for how much time.
What major achievements does the organization expect you to accomplish is an important query, and the answer will help you to come to term with your capabilities.
#5. How would you describe the work culture of this firm?
Asking about the work culture of an organization will give an applicant an idea of whether the firm is committed towards the happiness of its employees or not.
This interview question for the employers is a means of assessing the working environment of the organization so that you can get a fair idea of your fit in it.
#6. Are there training opportunities within the company?
Training is sometimes a necessity for a specific job. One of the interview questions for the employers is about training opportunities offered by the firm. The query demonstrates that the candidate is serious about his job and is committed to a future over here.
#7. What challenges do you expect the person on this position to face?
An interesting interview question for the employer that an applicant can pose is about the challenges that he may have to face in this position. The answer will give you an idea about the workings of a team or about budget restrictions that you have to deal with.
This will give the candidate a chance to have a discussion about your approach and talk about some similar challenges that he faced in his job previously.
#8. Where do you think the company is headed in the next five years?
One of the interview questions for the employers is about their own expectations and progression plans about the firm. This question will give the candidate an insight about the company and its working and dealings in the market.
The candidate will be able to know about the upcoming projects of the firm and get an estimate about his own future over here. Remember this query shows your commitment towards your job and the firm and will help you in earning brownie points from the employer.
#9. Can you tell me about the team I will be working with?
An important interview question for the employers is about the team that you will be working with. This will give the applicant a fair idea about the structure of the department he will be working in and his role in it along with the team dynamics and working methods of the team.
#10. Who do you consider your major competitors?
One of the interview questions for the employers is about their competitors. When a candidate is interested in the rival companies of the firm, it shows that he has an interest in the firm and is already looking for ways to help it to rise to the next level.
#11. What are the soft skills that you think are necessary for this job?
When a candidate is serious in his efforts to gel in the working culture of a firm one of the interview questions for the employers will be about the soft skills that are required to do the job well.
He wants to know the actual answer from the employer so that he can get useful insight into the culture and values of the firm.
#12. How do you respond if an employee comes to you with an issue or a conflict?
One of the interview question for employers is related to the issues and conflicts that can happen in the company. The would-be employee is interested in knowing whether the management makes an effort to resolve the issues or is unconcerned about them and lets it go in a casual manner.
Asking about conflict resolution and the views of the company will show whether the firm deals with them professionally or not.
#13. Will I have the opportunity for growth in terms of position and finance in this role?
This question shows that the applicant is looking forward to working in your firm and wants to know what his future prospects are over here. One of the most serious issues that major firms are facing nowadays is related to employee retention.
This question shows that the candidate is interested in long-term prospects, and it is ultimately a good thing for the firm.
#14. Is there an employee performance review process?
One of the interview questions for the employers is about the performance review system of the organization. How often does it happen and what impact does it have on the employee’s career and growth prospects.
It is imperative that an employee has complete knowledge about it s that he can work accordingly to improve his performances and ultimately, his chances of growth in that firm.
#15. Is there anything that I can provide you to help with your decision?
An interviewee wants to cover all his bases, and one of the interview questions for the employer can be in relation to it. When he offers to provide any other document or information so that the employer can make a decision, it shows eagerness on his part for the job but not desperation.
This enthusiastic approach will work in his favour.
#16. Will I be able to take the help of a mentor if necessary?
The employees who are interested in personal growth will want to take the help of a mentor. This interview question for the employer shows that the candidate is ready to learn from a higher authority to find the right path and ultimately taste the desired success in life.
#17. Does the company organize social events?
One of the interview questions for the employers is related to the activities of the firm that will promote healthy relations and camaraderie within its employees. The best way to do so is by organizing social events and encouraging all the employees to take part in them.
