Top Questions to Ask in an Interview

For job seekers, preparing for an interview means getting ready to answer questions. Savvy interviewees take this a step further and prepare questions to ask the interviewer as well. These candidates understand how to leverage the entire opportunity an interview presents.

Initially, the interview is an opportunity to sell the interviewer on you and your skills. It's important to focus on this aspect, as the organization needs to be interested in you in order to move forward. This interview may be your only chance to convince people you can do the job. In fact, asking questions can be a big part of creating a positive impression with the interviewer. Here are a few ways they help:

- They show your interest in the job opportunity
- They demonstrate that you are engaged in the conversation
- They reveal your understanding of the situation
- They reveal your priorities
- They reveal your maturity and insight
- They show just how much work and thought you've put into preparation for the interview

Asking questions during an interview also represents your best opportunity to find out information about the company and position that can't be found on a website or job posting. The answers to your questions dramatically improve your ability to assess the job opportunity for yourself. Here are three main areas of opportunity to keep in mind, each with questions to ask an interviewer:

1. Find out more about the position. It's important to know what you're getting yourself into when you are thinking about a new job.

- What is a "day in the life" for someone in this role?
- What are the key areas of the company that a person in this role would interact with?
- Why is this position open?
- How would you describe the manager's leadership style?
- What role does this department play in the greater organizational structure?

2. Set yourself up to be successful in the role.

- What do you expect from this position in the first 90 days?
- What qualities or characteristics do you think are most important to make someone successful in this role?
- How will this person be evaluated?
- What are the most important contributions you expect this person to make to the team?

3. Gauge the interviewer's interest in you as a candidate, and reserve these questions for the end of your interview. Only use one or two of these questions so as not to make the interviewer feel uncomfortable. An interviewer might not answer these questions, but any answers you receive may reveal how you are thought of as a candidate. Ultimately, you will learn a lot about the company, regardless of the interviewer's response. Here are some more challenging questions to offer during an interview:

- Is there anything about my skill set that causes concern or causes you to doubt that I would be a high performer in this job?
- How do you think my background and skills meet your need for this position?
- How do I compare with others you have interviewed for this role?
- What are the next steps in the process from this point?

Every interview is an opportunity for you to make a great impression, whether you get the job or not. Make each interview count, and take time to fully prepare. Asking these types of questions will give you deeper insight about just what type of position is best for you, and they'll also allow you to understand more about the role and perform better in the interview. Asking questions will inevitably help you land the job you've been waiting for.

Article Source: Career Igniter