You got the interview, you showed up on time, you presented yourself well. Your interviewer asked you questions, and you answered with poise. Now you鈥檝e got one last shot at standing out as the candidate of choice 鈥� it鈥檚 your turn to ask questions.

Like every aspect of your interview, this part requires preparation. It鈥檚 also the part of the interview over which you have the most control. The floor is yours. How will you use this time?

This is your opportunity to find out what you need to know, and to show off a little while you do. You鈥檙e also giving your interviewer (especially if they鈥檙e your potential boss) a chance to perform for you, and sell you on the company and position.

You鈥檝e proven your ability to intelligently answer your interviewer鈥檚 questions, and now you have the opportunity to prove you鈥檙e someone who asks the right questions.

So, what are the right questions for an interviewee to ask?

The Basic Need-to-Knows

These interviewee questions are mostly for you, to get a better understanding of the actual responsibilities and requirements of the job, or of opportunities for advancement. But they鈥檙e also a way to communicate your interest in the role and working style. Here are some examples you might want to open with:

What are the primary responsibilities of this position?

What would be the reporting structure for this role?

How is performance reviewed? Is there a formal process?

Flipping the Interview

If your potential boss is the one interviewing you, use this opportunity to do a chemistry check of your own and get some insights into this person鈥檚 history with the company. Of course, your potential boss will be editing their responses for the same reasons you do 鈥� to make a good impression. But asking about their background with (and before) the company will give you clues 鈥� both spoken and unspoken 鈥� about the company structure and culture. Plus, you鈥檒l be able to establish an early rapport.

Here are a few good questions for interviewees to ask when trying to gauge a culture and personality fit:

When did you join the company? Were you always in this role?

What differences did you notice between this company and other companies where you worked previously?

What is your management style with your direct reports?

What鈥檚 something the company is doing now or is planning to do that excites you?

Questions About Expectations

These questions not only provide insight into what you can expect once you鈥檙e in the role, but also show your interviewer you鈥檙e already picturing yourself on the job, and thinking ahead about what you鈥檒l be tackling, and how.

Can you tell me about any projects in the pipeline this role would have involvement in?

Are there any particular challenges I should anticipate in this role?

Do you see this role as cross-functional with other teams? How so?

What kind of growth and ownership opportunities do you see for this role?

Show You Did Your Homework

You should arrive at any interview having done your research on the company anyway, but this is your chance to show it. This demonstrates to your interviewer that you鈥檙e both proactive and thoughtful about the opportunity.

Try to seek out something specific 鈥� and relevant 鈥� to ask about the history or current endeavors of the organization. These questions will depend on what you find, but to give you a few hypothetical ideas:

How has the merger changed the organization?

Was the recent influencer campaign a success, and will you do more?

I鈥檇 love to know more about the thinking behind the company鈥檚 decision to rebrand鈥�

To find useful intel, go digging. Check out the company鈥檚 social media updates, website, blog, any recent press, and even word of mouth to figure out some good job interview questions to ask. Be prepared to speak to why you鈥檙e interested in something, not just that you鈥檙e aware of it.

Things You Still Want to Cover

You know your strengths better than anyone, and you want to make sure all of them make it into your interview. If you haven鈥檛 found a way to touch upon all of your achievements through the interviewer鈥檚 questions, now鈥檚 the time to get them in.

For example: If you鈥檙e active in community service, and you鈥檙e interviewing for a company that supports a cause or causes, you might ask what opportunities are available for employees to get involved, and mention this is something that attracted you to the company. Or maybe you want to highlight some expertise that complements the role you鈥檙e applying for, even if it isn鈥檛 part of the job description. A couple more hypothetical examples are below:

I know this isn鈥檛 a tech team role, but I actually have some experience coding. Would this role have any interaction with the UX team?

I love that this is a value-driven company, but I鈥檓 also a believer in analytics. How does the company balance data-driven decision-making with its mission?

Follow-up on Previous Questions

This is where you can show off your listening skills. If you have an opportunity to circle back to one of your interviewer鈥檚 questions and ask something specific, or for more detail, do. For example:

You mentioned this role would be involved in the relaunch initiative. Is that already underway? How far along is it and how would I potentially join the effort?

When you did those recent focus groups, I鈥檓 curious what the methodology was. Did you bring in an outside agency or do you have an in-house market research team?

Questions to Avoid in an Interview

A good interview rule of thumb is to follow the adage 鈥渋t鈥檚 not polite to talk about money.鈥� This isn鈥檛 the time to ask about salary and benefits. Sometimes a recruiter or hiring manager will offer some benefit information unsolicited, to entice you. They might mention the company鈥檚 401K matching program, or particularly good healthcare benefits. If it doesn鈥檛 come up, though, leave it alone鈥� for now. The appropriate time to negotiate benefits and salary is when you鈥檙e offered the job. So don鈥檛 ask:

What is the salary/salary range for this position?

How much vacation time are employees entitled to?

Can you tell me about your paid leave policies?

What kind of retirement programs do you offer?

WCU Interview Coaching and Resources

Job hunting and interviewing are important business skills on their own, so 国产主播 students and graduates have access to robust resources when it comes time to look for employment. Make sure you engage with our WCU Career Services team for help with application and portfolio prep, mock interviews, student interview tips, and career coaching.

If you鈥檙e a nursing student or graduate, make sure to check out our post with our top nurse job interview tips. We also have other career-focused posts that are helpful for nursing and non-nursing students alike.

We鈥檙e here to help you put your education into practice and assist you in finding that first great opportunity!

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WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.