It’s early in the morning and you’re wearing your best (appropriate) outfit—you’re literally dressed to impress. You have an interview at 10 A.M. sharp at your dream job. You have silenced your phone, checked your appearance in the mirror five times already, practiced saying your top points and wiped your sweaty palms against your pants. Like many young adults, you’re interviewing for your first real job and the nerves are practically eating you alive. You have brought along a copy of your well-edited resume, popped a few mints into your mouth and taken plenty of deep breaths. You have convinced yourself that you’re ready for this. And you are ready for this. Don’t let an interview intimidate you. Interviews are your chance to market yourself and show off what you know. For the moments you clam up and blank on what to say, try asking questions. Make yourself comfortable with the interviewer. Here are some impressive questions you can ask your interviewer that will surely alert them to your desire to work for them:
1. “While researching the company I learned __________. Can you tell me more about that?”
This question is critical. By asking this question you’ll prove to your hiring manager that you've researched the company on your own time. Asking for clarification proves that you’re eager to learn. You could continue on unsure about what you learned but instead you’re seeking answers. This shows that you're driven to research and learn. Your interviewer will notice.
2. “What does success look like in the first 30, 60 and 90 days?”
You want to seem ambitious in your interview. The last thing you want to do is act like you don’t care about your success or the company’s success. Based on the answer you receive, you may realize that the job isn’t right for you. Questions can be eye-opening to both the interviewer and the interviewee.
3. “What does a typical day look like?”
Prove to your interviewer that you’re interested in the job you’re applying for. Ask this question to get a better feel for your potential work days. You can even ask them about immediate projects that need to be addressed, examples of projects you would work on, challenges you would face in this specific position and budgets you may have. Any question regarding your work day will be beneficial for you to ask.
4. “What have you enjoyed most about working here?”
This question allows for you to connect with the interviewer on a more personal level. Like I said before, interviews should not be intimidating. You should be eager to form positive relationships with your potential employers/employees. Your ability to be social is probably a relief to the hiring manager, too. No company wants to hire an antisocial jerk who’s unable to hold a pleasant conversation. Show off your social skills and befriend those around you.
5. “What challenges is the company currently facing?”
This question may bring up more negative answers, but this is your chance to offer suggestions. You can talk with your hiring manager about steps being taken to overcome challenges and obstacles. This conversation will give you insight into the company and allow you to understand how they handle negative situations.
There are many other questions you could ask your interviewer. If you’re curious about skills and training, inquire about how you’ll be trained and show curiosity in opportunities for advancement. Ask questions about your company and your team; without your team there would be no company. Lastly, ask about the company’s culture: the work environment, how the teams collaborated on past events/projects, company traditions, joint events with other companies/departments, etc. Literally any question that shows you’re eager and willing to work will give you that leg up you need!
