You’re being interviewed by a potential employer and at the end of the interview they ask you if you have any questions. An interviewer almost always asks this (I know I do) so you should have some questions prepared.
I googled this myself to find out what questions were already out there. I found articles with titles such as “50+ Questions to Ask In An Interview!”. This kind of shocked me. What employer wants to listen to you ask fifty questions? I realize this may be question overload so you can scroll through the questions and pick the ones that mean the most to you.
I’ve created my own list that I would consider valid questions of someone asking me while I was interviewing them. I will give a little bit of insight with each question I’ve prepared so you know my thought process behind that particular question.
First Interview Questions Vs. After The Offer
Note that you should be very careful of the questions you ask during your first interview. You most likely haven’t accepted the position yet and they are still feeling you out to see what type of employee you will be. I don’t want an employee that has fifty questions to ask me in a single sitting. I will also judge the questions you are asking.
I’ve sectioned the questions off into two. The first are questions to ask during the initial interview. I would suggest three.
The second list of questions are to be asked once an offer of employment is presented to you. I feel as though you can ask all the questions you want at this point. You may save some of the pre-offer questions to be asked once the offer has been made if you wanted to get in more than three of the “first interview” questions.
I want to stress that asking the money questions (like 401(k) and medical) before you are offered the position is frowned upon. Save those questions for when the position is offered to you.
My point is – don’t scare off an employer with too many questions.
On to the questions!
Questions For The First Meeting
What will my responsibilities be in this role?
You know the title of the position you’ve applied for, but this whole time has been spent focused on if you’re the right fit for the role. Find out what your day-to-day responsibilities will be. Are you responsible for a team? If so, find out the number on the team.
Are you responsible for knowing a particular software?
What will my expectations be in this role?
What are they expecting to see you accomplish? Even further, what would they like to see you accomplish?
What would the day-to-day expectations be and what would be considered going above and beyond expectations?
How will you measure my success in this position?
Are there certain KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) that are used to judge how well you are doing in the position? For example, if you’re in sales, do they analyze certain dollars sold for one item more than another? Do they measure the timeliness you turn in daily or monthly reporting?
Can you describe the team I’ll be working closely with?
Hopefully they can give you some details here. If they provide names, make sure to write those down as you can start reviewing before your first day.
Watch for facial expressions as they describe the team you’ll be a part of. It’s easier to walk in the first day knowing if they are a bunch of loud, sarcastic characters compared to introverts that want to be left alone.
What is the work environment and company culture like?
They may have a politically correct response to this question. However, it will be interesting to see how they answer. Leave this question pretty open. They may say that they have a company wide gathering every Friday afternoon. You may find out that working from home 1-2 days a week or so is the norm.
You may see confusion on their faces, which I would consider a small red flag. Whatever you find out, soak it up.
Will there be room for advancement?
Obviously, you plan to do extraordinary in your new position. If you excel in every aspect, is there room for growth in the company outside of your current position? How much room is there?
Voice your opinions on your personal advancement. Share any previous advancement that you’ve had at other employment so you can start creating this scenario in their minds. You want them to know that you are willing to move up with the company from the very first meeting. You are ambitious.
Could you tell me what the current company goals are – long term and short term?
You’d like to get a head start with learning the ropes. If you know what the company goals are, you can start familiarizing yourself with those particular topics.
This is a great first interview question. You want to find out more about the company (although you have already been to their website and researched quite a bit). This open question will let them know that you are genuinely concerned with the future of the company and participating in projects that matter to them. It’s a very selfless question.
Questions For After You Are Offered The Position
As a new hire, what will the onboarding process be like for me?
When you’re walking in on day one, it will be a lot easier if you know what to expect. Wil you spend time with human resources filling out paperwork before you are ushered off to meet your team? Will you stay at home for a couple of days reviewing company videos and signing agreements?
Could you describe The Medical Plan?
If you are interested in the medical, dental, vision, etc…plans, I would suggest asking now. This could have a huge impact on your decision to accept the position at all. Find out what portion of the plans the employer pays out of pocket and what your payment would be.
If you are carrying the insurance for your family, this could be a huge win for you.
Could you tell me about your Employer Sponsored 401(k) Plan?
This one should also have a major impact on your acceptance of the position. What kind of employer match do they offer?
If your salary offer is $100,000 and the employer match is maxed out at $500 per year, your total salary would actually be $100,500. If the employer match is 100% up to 5% of your salary, that means your salary is potentially $105,000 as long as you contribute $5,000 per year. This could make a big difference when you’re finalizing your decision.
While you are on this question, find out how long you have to wait until you are allowed into the plan.
Are company bonuses given?
If you can figure out an average percentage of salary that is given each year in bonus, this could definitely sway your decision.
You’re asking so that you can know when (and if) to expect it in the future.
Never have I been asked this question. I have also never told a new hire that there’s the potential for a bonus, even though we receive them 95% of the time. I don’t offer up the information.
However, I would absolutely be completely honest with my answer if the question were asked. I would also tell them never to depend on a bonus, because it is never a for sure thing.
What other benefits does your company offer to employees?
This open question could provide the details you need to solidify a decision. You are asking for all the details that benefit you directly.
- Number of paid holidays
- Vacation/Sick time available each year
- Tuition reimbursement
- Daycare costs
- Life Insurance
Check out my article on employee benefits packages if you would like to see more benefits that could be offered to you.
Question Decision Making Time
I’ve given you a few options that I consider great questions.
Pick the ones that matter most to you. When you’re asked if you have any questions, never say that you don’t have any.
As a previous interviewer, I can tell you that I really enjoy seeing what questions the applicant may have at the end of our interview. I also encourage discussion during the interview process. I like interaction and someone that can roll with me in open conversation.
It can be stressful. Prepare as much as you can ahead of time. Ask the questions you plan to ask to your partner, friends, or family members. It’s ok to write them down as well. I never mind someone flipping through a couple of pages to find the questions they had prepared for me prior.
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