3 Questions to Ask at a Job Interview
Few things stir up the universal feelings of nerves and fear as a job interview and unfortunately it’s likely many of us will be facing that prospect as the pandemic claims more and more jobs. If you find yourself in this position then I’d like to try and offer a different perspective on the purpose of an interview and arm you with three questions that will help you feel more in control and figure out if this is the right job for you.
It’s easy to think of an interview as being one sided. That you must impress them and all they need to do is sit there looking intimidating scribbling down everything you say. But it should actually be a dialogue between the potential employer and you. Remember you hold equal power in the situation because, well, you’d be an asset to any company and they’d be lucky to have you.
So, here we go with three questions to ask during a job interview:
Q1. Can you tell me a bit about the working environment?
We spend A LOT of time at work so it’s definitely worth having a think about what you want from a working environment. For example, if working from home is important for you and your work-life balance then it would be good to understand if the company you are interviewing with has a plan for a wholesale return to the office or if they will be keeping to a flexible working model.
Equally, if you love the buzz of a team environment then it’d be useful to know how closely you would be working with teammates if you need that to energise you during the working day.
Try to create a list for yourself of non-negotiables before the interview and then compare afterwards based on the answers of the interviewer. Remember that sometimes compromising in some areas can push you out of your comfort zone in a good way but go with your instincts and if you can already see something that you wouldn’t enjoy then it probably isn’t right for you.
Q2. What development opportunities would be open to me in this role?
It’s fairly rare to find a company that doesn’t offer anything in the way of development opportunities outside of the day job. If this is something that’s important to you then find out what else you could be involved in. Does the company have different networks of colleagues you could join to make connections? Does it offer sponsorship for formal qualification training like foundation degrees or industry specific certifications?
In asking the question you’re not only finding out if this is a company that takes the development of staff seriously but you’re demonstrating that it’s also important to you and you expect your employer to match the effort you’ll put in.
Q3. What do you think is the best thing about working here?
In turning the questions around on the interviewer you’ll get an idea of how hard they need to try to answer this question. If they give you something really generic then it could be a red flag that they themselves aren’t happy there.
But, equally, if they can easily list a few things they really like that are personal to them then you can be fairly confident that this is someone who genuinely likes where they work. You’ll know immediately if you’ve received a genuine answer when you ask this question.
So, you’ve done it! You’ve had your interview and now begins the anxious wait to find out if you’ll be offered the job. But remember that even if you are offered the job, you don’t have to take it if you think it might not be for you. I realise it’s a privileged position to be in that may not be available to everyone, however, I would urge you to listen to your gut and stick with it.
If you have the time and financial security to wait for an opportunity that will both give you what you are worth as an employee and provide you with the right opportunity for the future then you’ll be much happier for it.
Good luck ladies - you’ll smash it!
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Written by Ali Critchley
