Asking the right questions, getting the right job

Most job seekers prepare for an interview by practicing their answers to employers probable questions. However, sometimes it’s not the questions they answer that win an interviewer the job, it’s the questions they ask. That’s why it’s important to come up with the right questions to ask an employer during an interview.

There are a couple of benefits to asking questions.

1. It shows the interviewer that you’re seriously interested in the position. You’ve thought about the position and genuinely want to know more specifics than what they’ve offered.

2. It allows you to evaluate if the job is right for you. Questions give you insight into how the job and the company run, and whether this is a good fit for you. They can also reveal some big red flags that can’t be overcome.

Here are some tips and guidelines in coming up with the right questions to ask in your next interview.

Turn the Interview Around

Typically your interviewer asks a lot of questions about your personality, your abilities and how you are as an employee. While you don’t want to ask your interviewer those exact questions, don’t be afraid to ask about their personal experiences as an employee of the company. Forbes recommends coming up with five questions and asking three of them. For example, ask the interviewer what they enjoy about working for the company. If they struggle to come up with a timely response, this is a bad sign.

Talk Yourself Up

It is recommended you be confident and ask questions about what the employer expects you to contribute. Directly ask the interviewer what qualities they are looking for in an employee, and use that to emphasize which of those qualities you have. Don’t be afraid to admit that you’re lacking in something though, and use that to your advantage. For example, if one of the things they’re looking for is leadership experience, admit that you don’t have much formal leadership experience, but discuss a time you successfully organized a project or event.

Company Culture

You want to get a feel for how the company runs, not just the benefits of the job. Ask about the company culture. Is there a lot of collaborative work? What is the turnover like? Is there room for advancement? High turnover should encourage you to seriously reconsider the position, depending on the reasoning you’re given. Similarly, if you’re told that there’s not much teamwork, this may be an indication of a toxic workplace.

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Photo by Shutterstock Knowing what to ask in an interview could get you the right job.