Interviewing the Interviewer: 10 Questions to Ask Your Hiring Manager

Getting through all the stages of job application often intimidates students. They have all the reasons to be worried. Such a simple thing as crafting a winning resume requires specific knowledge and skills. If you don’t follow resume writing standards and requirements, you document risks never making it to the HR’s table. That’s why many people order write my paper services to create a bot-beating resume.

Job interviews also have their own peculiarities. Not knowing them, you can fail your long-awaited interview without even realizing it. Thus, all HR managers recommend getting prepared for every job interview, no matter how easy it may seem.

For example, to demonstrate how interested you are in the position, you need to not only answer the HR’s questions but take control over the interview and ask some questions on your own.

To make your first job interview easier for you, we’ve prepared a list of the most popular questions students often ask their hiring managers. Here they are.

What is the purpose of the position? What is the most important about it?

Don’t be afraid to look stupid when you ask a question like this. You are not asking a simple question. On the contrary, you are trying to understand why the company needs a candidate for the job and how your prospective role is seen by the management. You are asking why they need this position at the moment and how you can contribute to problem resolution.

What is expected from me in six months?

You need to understand whether your employer is realistic about job duties or not. For example, if they’ve decided to employ a student or a recent graduate, they should know that you’ll need some time to adapt before actually bringing appreciable benefit. This question is helpful in understanding how much is expected from a newbie.

How is the performance evaluated and success measured?

We can’t talk about achievements if we have no success scale to measure our progress. Knowing how your performance will be evaluated before you actually start doing something is great. It minimizes your chance of making a mistake. Moreover, you can control yourself on the way to success.

What are the growth opportunities in this position?

This question is very strategic. First of all, by asking this, you imply that you are hoping to grow and develop with the company. You demonstrate your active position. Secondly, you show your interest in doing better, achieving more, and advancing your career ladder. Given the efforts hiring managers pay to close the position, they are interested in finding a great fit who’d work for the long term.

What is the history of the position?

It’s always interesting to discover why former employees left and how their duties and responsibilities evolved over time. Do not try to get into the dirty details if someone was laid off. Instead, focus on learning about their contribution to understand what is expected from you. At the same time, if the person who previously held the position was promoted, it encourages you to work better.

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What is the company’s key business goal right now and what are the obstacles?

Hiring managers value those candidates who are goal-oriented and confident. To demonstrate that, you should ask something beyond expected. For example, start by looking into the company’s problems. Of course, you should put the question in the right context so that interviewers could understand that you aim to reach the goal by eliminating problems along the way.

What do you enjoy the most working here?

Should you feel the need to make the conversation more personal, try asking the interviewer what he or she likes the most about the company. This information can be both reassuring for you and exciting for them. Everyone enjoys being able to share their best memories and emotions. Thus, it will definitely help to set the right tone for the conversation.

What are the peculiarities of the company’s culture?

Every big company has its corporate culture. It’s very important for a new employee to fit in. Everyone needs a little time to get used to a new environment. However, you should share the same views on work and leisure to be able to cooperate. This is also the primary task for a good HR manager to find the employee that would be a great match for the team.

What is your strategy line towards competitors?

Every company – no matter how big or small – has its competitors. Yet, each treats them differently. For some, competitors are benchmarks. They look at their examples and seek ways to improve their position. For others, competitors are a threat. They limit any interactions with rivals in the market and care deeply about data security. If you’ve decided to join the company, you should know how to behave.

What is your management style?

To be ready for all challenges and difficulties at the workplace and avoid them, ask about the management style common for the company. It will let you know how to act if you have a creative idea: whether to turn to your team lead or go directly to the CEO. Also, you’ll understand the approach to decision-making in the company.

Final Words

There are lots of questions that you can ask to make your interview interesting and fulfilling. A skilled hiring manager will find the best way to answer them. However, you should be strategic in asking those questions. The goal here is to not only get answers but demonstrate how prepared you are.

Also, avoid asking questions to fill the void. For example, do not ask about things that are easy to find. The company’s history, for example, is usually written in the “About Us” section on its website. Do not ask questions that would make hiring managers uncomfortable. For example, things like ‘I heard you pay high premiums. How often?’ are not good to ask.

Actually, the farther you are from the money issue, the better. Yet, you shouldn’t agree for a salary that is lower than you expect. Try to show your genuine interest in growth and development and speak of money as if it is just the means for a comfortable life.