Gain insights by asking questions.
Interviews are a two-way street for employers and candidates to learn more about each other and further align on the position in question. Going into the interview, you should have an idea of what you’re looking for based on your career goals. Also, by asking these questions, you will get insight into what will be expected from you on the job.
Pro tip; ask these questions in a conversational manner rather than running through a list and checking off boxes. Also, be sure you’re asking these questions to the right person – usually, that’s the hiring authority/direct report.
- How is my success measured?
- Why is this position open?
- How many people are on the team?
- Can you describe the training process?
- What surprised you the most when you started?
- How long was the previous person in this role?
- If this were a triage scenario and the most critical needs had to be addressed first, what are the immediate items needing attention?
- Can you tell me what future state vs. current state looks like for this role?
- In a year, how will you know I have been successful?
- How would you describe the company culture?
- Please describe the organizational structure for this team, and where this position fits in?
- What is your favorite part about working at this company?
