It’s no surprise that a person should put their best foot forward in preparing to answer questions in a professional job interview. But one aspect that is often overlooked occurs at the very END of each interview. When the interview time has inevitably run its course and the business leaders have exhausted all their inquiries, the tables turn and the interviewee is usually asked “What questions do you have for us?”. This portion of the interview is just as important as what preceded it!

What’s at stake

For starters, you as a job applicant now have the opportunity to further strengthen your case of being the best candidate for the job. This is not a time to grow lax, but instead it’s the time to use the questions that you ask to show why YOU should be selected to fill the role! You want to display that you’ve done a reasonable amount of research on the company and position, and that you have a genuine curiosity about the business as well as its leaders. One example of a good question to ask is “I’ve read that this company’s mission is to change the world one hybrid vehicle at a time. How do you think about this mission in your role specifically?”. Be sure to avoid asking questions that are just fluff. Instead, show engagement and curiosity in your queries!

Secondly, you now have the opportunity to figure out whether this company, the role, and the leader who you will work directly under are a good fit for you. This must be done with care and tact so as to not come off as selfish. But as much as you must be a fit for them, they must be a good fit for YOU, and it is your job to figure this out using effective questions. One example of a good question to ask is “In your experience, what types of people thrive in this role here and then what might cause a person to struggle?”. When the interviewer responds with “People thrive when they are excellent at remote email communication and can be self-sustaining. Folks seem to struggle when they need face-to-face interaction with the boss each day”, then you are able to ask yourself if this all fits with who you are.

Mistakes to avoid

The absolute worst response to give when asked what questions you have is “I don’t think I have any”. Even if you feel confident in your grasp of the job and that it’s a good fit, still ask a few thoughtful questions to display an eagerness to join the organization. Interviewers are not only looking at qualifications for the job. They also are examining how well each individual person would do working alongside the current team. 

As mentioned above, be careful to toe the line between seeming apathetic by having no questions and seeming ungenuine, entitled, or desperate. Finding a good balance here is critical! Things like “So when do I start?”, “I really need a job so I can go ahead and start immediately”, or “I tend to get promoted pretty quickly, so how do you all handle promotions” should be avoided.

Aim for this

Overall, shoot for curious, engaged, energetic, and confident in the questions you ask. Don’t forget to be genuine and just to be yourself. Remember that most interviewers are not trying to weed you out. They’re just normal people doing their job, focused on finding the best candidate who will have a positive impact on their organization. So, be THE BEST! Stay attentive, stay on your game, and finish your interview STRONG by sharing targeted, thoughtful questions that will help you land the job!

One tangible action:

Even if you are not actively interviewing for a professional job now, go ahead and create a short list of good questions to ask. Do the work now, reap the benefit later!

Pro Tip:

Search for questions on Google, like these, or just think of them yourself. But also ask advice from professionals who you are already connected with (parent, former boss, mentor, family friend) that lead interviews and have been in the game for a number of years. Use their experience and wisdom to give you an advantage!