Candidate Advice: Questions To Ask Your Interviewer

4 Minutes

We’ve all been asked ‘do you have any questions in an interview?' and can fi...

We’ve all been asked ‘do you have any questions in an interview?' and can find ourselves drawing a blank. Ahead of your interview, you should always think of potential questions for your interviewer as it makes you seem engaged, curious, and prepared. It can also help you make a more informed decision about your next role. In this third installment of our “Candidate Advice” series, the Elliott Scott HR team has shared some key areas you can cover in your future interviews. Here are some suggestions: What skill gaps are you looking to fill on the team with this new hire? This will give you an insight into how you might fit within the team and shows you’re inquisitive about the role.  How long do people generally stay with the company?

Getting an idea of the organization's employee retention will give you an insight into the culture and you can also move on to discuss potential progression opportunities What do you like most about your role/ this company? Learning more about the company can help you visualize your fit there and this question also shows an interest in your interviewer What upcoming projects do you see that I will be involved with? This shows interest in your potential role and allows you to consider if you would be excited to be involved in the projects mentioned Can you tell me some of the metrics my performance will be measured against? You will gain an insight into what is expected of you to succeed What are some of the challenges you expect the person in this position to face?

Asking this will show a mature awareness that every role has its challenges and allow you to consider how you can offer value I would be interested in learning more about the culture and team dynamics of the organization. This will help you learn more about the company’s values and if you see yourself making a good cultural fit If you are interviewing for a senior leadership position aim to strike up a mutual conversation with the interviewer, especially if they are someone you will work closely with, as you can better understand each other's expectations.

No matter what level of role, building a rapport with your interviewer can stand you in better stead to be a successful candidate be sure to check out and bookmark the other blogs in this series, here, which cover: knowing your elevator pitch, CV structure, and interview tips. Thank you to our team who contributed to this blog: Renee Miller, Alice Cheung, and Shagun Sharma.

If you need assistance with finding your next HR role or are hiring for your organization, find your regional contact on our team page here.