Questions To Ask Before Taking The Job

At the end of the interview, it is routine for the interviewer to ask if you have any questions. Trick question – they will take note if you do not ask them a question. The interviewer wants you to ask a question to understand your level of interest in the role. They are also looking to understand your level of critical thinking and creativity. 

It can be challenging to think of a question on the spot, so you should come prepared with a few in mind, depending on how the interview goes. During the interview, interview the interviewer. Take it as an opportunity to see if this is a position/company you would like to work for because it is a two-way street. Here are some insightful questions to better understand if this is the role for you. 

Why is this position open?

Asking this question can make or break your future with a company. This question will give you insight into how the company functions and what they will be looking for in this position. The best insight you will learn from this question is what happened to the previous employee in this role. 

This question could lead down two paths. One path could be that the previous employee was let go or chose to leave the company. This answer will not always be a red flag, but you should monitor and be diligent about the position. 

Or the question could lead down another path – the previous employee could have received a promotion. That answer is the more favorable outcome, but we encourage you to ask if you are unsure of satisfaction with the company. 

What is an example of someone successful in this position?

If you are interested in learning more about job satisfaction and the level of expertise expected in the position, this is a perfect question to ask. When you start a new job, you are blind to expectations because it is a fresh experience, and you don’t know what to expect.  

Asking this question gives you insight into learning what skills, tasks, and projects they will expect from you. Instead of accepting the job and later down the road discovering the job is too challenging or not challenging enough, this will give you discernment about the position. 

What is the management style, and who will I be reporting to directly?

To all of the people that have been micromanaged – this one is for you. Now is the opportunity to find out who will be reporting to and their management style. Management styles differ from different positions to personality types, so it is something to consider. 

Whether you are avoiding micromanaging or if you need explicit details of day-to-day tasks, this question will let you know if you think this position will be a fit for your personality type. Not only should the interviewer be testing if your personality is a fit, but you should also analyze if this is a personality fit for you. 

Overall, there could be endless questions you can ask, from company culture to benefits and work-from-home opportunities; the options are endless. We hope you use the question portion of the interview to your advantage and only accept a position you think is the perfect fit. We wish you luck with your interviews!