Preparing for an Interview Advice
Questions to ask an interviewer
When preparing for an interview, you will largely be focussed on preparing answers to their questions.
One of the best pieces of interview advice to keep in mind, however, is to prepare a few questions to ask
an interviewer at the end. This will show you hold a genuine interest in the company and the job up for
offer and may help you to stand out from the rest of the candidates.
You need to be careful with the types
of questions to ask an interviewer and the manner with which you ask them, as you don't want them to feel
that you are interviewing them. Ask questions as if you are curious and eager to learn more about the job and
the company offering it. If you are too brash in asking them they may feel that you are weighing up whether you
really want that job at all. Don't make it seem as if there are plenty of jobs available to you and you are choosing which one.
Don't ask things which you could easily find out through the company website, as this will make you seem lazy.
It is also inadvisable to ask anything about salaries, bonus schemes e.t.c. as this will make it look as if you aren't
interested in the job itself. You need to make sure they know that you really want the job they are offering. If you are
not sure of the types of things to ask, here are a few examples of questions to ask at an interview. Don't just take a list
of these to the interview though - make sure you are actually interested in the answer as the interviewer will be able to tell.
Sample questions to ask at interview:
What is the working environment like at this company, do people keep to themselves or is there a lot of interaction with colleagues?
Is work done largely independently or do you frequently work in teams?
What are the company's objectives/plans for the near future? How is it looking to change/move forward?
What kind of work/specific tasks can I expect to be doing in the near future?
Can I expect a wide variety of tasks or a more regular routine?
What is the organisational/management structure at the company? What is the policy on review of performance?
What is the management style? Do managers involve themselves heavily with their staff?
What are the particular skills I could expect to be using in this job?