As a recruitment agency in Singapore, we understand that most interviewers encourage you to ask questions at the end of an interview to determine if the role is the right fit for you. Asking questions helps you learn a bit about the people, culture, and work environment of your target company, as well as learn some general information about the job itself.
Hiring managers care about these post-interview questions, so choose them carefully. For instance, the questions you choose to ask reveal how interested you are in the position, how much research you’ve done, and what drives you as a person and potential employee. Therefore, asking the right questions at the end of an interview plays a huge role in leaving a good impression on your interviewers.
Here are the top questions to ask at the end of your interview:
Role Specific Questions
Role-specific questions are specifically about the position you’re interviewing for. Make sure to read the job description very thoroughly to avoid asking questions that are already answered elsewhere.
Your questions can focus on topics like key performance indicators (KPI), day-to-day responsibilities, career growth, and the challenges you’ll be facing.
1. What does success look like in this role and how is it measured?
How frequently a company measures the success of its employees (and the ways it does so) gives you an indication of how you’ll be managed if hired for the position. Some candidates prefer to stick to tight deadlines and require constant feedback, whereas others prefer more creative freedom. This question also helps the candidate understand the key performance indicators for the role.
2. What would you expect me to have achieved after a year in this role?
Knowing the challenges you’ll face along with expectations for the role gives you a better understanding of what life on the job will be like, and how you’re likely to grow (and at what speed). You can then use this information to determine if the responsibilities of the role and overall growth trajectory are what you’re looking for in your next job.
3. What do you think are the most important qualities for the person in this role to possess?
Depending on the interviewer’s answer, you can glean valuable information about the values and culture of the company. Does this company value personality and drive over professional experience? Does their answer align with your own values?
If the interviewer’s answer to this question resonates well with you, you’ll know you’re a good fit for the position.
Company Specific Questions
These questions apply to the company and don’t need to be about your role. Do extensive research into the company’s background and what they do to tailor your list of post-interview questions.
Avoid asking questions that can be answered on the company’s website or social media. Instead, you should use those related media profiles to gather information to ask about. Your questions can focus on topics like company culture, competitors, challenges, and growth.
1. What do you personally like most about working for this company?
Addressing the interviewer personally invites openness which helps you get a more accurate and honest answer about the pros and cons of the workplace they’ve created.
Depending on their answer, you can also determine the selling points of working for the company: the people, fringe benefits, company values, etc.
2. How do you see this company evolving over the next few years?
If you’re interviewing with a leader at the company, this question is a must-ask because they’re in the best position to tell you about their vision for growing the company.
Asking about how they plan to evolve things over time shows them that you’re interested in the future of the business. Their answer should also help you better understand if their growth goals align with your own career goals.
3. How does this company define and implement its values?
This question helps you determine if the company truly cares about the values it claims to have. Hearing the interviewer’s personal interpretation and specific examples lets you understand if the company’s values are prioritized by their employees or are simply a PR strategy.
Additionally, you can follow up this question by asking about inclusion, diversity, or recruitment processes.
Application Specific Questions
Questions about what the employer thought of your overall application help you understand what you did well and what you could improve upon, so you have a greater chance of getting the current role or even doing better on your next job application.
Your questions can focus on topics like feedback, the application process, and general concerns.
1. Which part of my application did the most to help me earn this interview?
This question is a quick way to get application and interview feedback, along with giving you the opportunity to address the interviewer’s concerns directly.
Asking this question also shows that you seek and can handle constructive criticism (along with praise), which is important in a professional setting. For example, If the interviewers state that you have all the necessary skills but don’t have enough work experience, you can speak about your relevant achievements and educational background.
2. What are the next steps in the application process?
Knowing which process comes next helps you make the decision to continue with your application (or not), learn about which areas you need to focus on, and lets you know how long it’ll take for you to be hired (if they decide to give you an offer).
If there’ll be another assignment or interview, take the opportunity to learn more about the process. Will it be a culture interview? Which aspect of the role will the next assignment target? Gather as much information as possible to help you stay ahead of the competition and make informed decisions.
3. Is there anything else I can provide you with for my application?
If the interviewer has more concerns about your application, they can ask for extra information such as references or examples of your work.
Similar to giving you the chance to ask questions, asking if the interviewer wants to know anything else after your questions is courteous and helps you leave a good impression.
Takeaways
Knowing which questions to ask post-interview is just as important as your interview answers because what you choose to ask also reveals information about your character and experiences.
However, knowing what to say in an interview is pointless if you don’t have a top-notch application to get you to the interview stage. You can use a resume template or a cover letter template if you’re unsure how to begin your job application.
Chloe Chioy is a Staff Writer and Resume Expert at Resume Genius. Her job advice has been featured on career platforms like Zapier and CharityJob, as well as on the BBC.
Read More: How to Answer Tough Hiring Questions During the Job Interview