Toward the end of most job interviews, the interviewer turns the table and asks you if you have any questions. This is your opportunity not only to learn key information about the company, but to impress the interviewer one last time with your interview questions. Use this moment to focus on the past and present of the company and to help your interviewer focus on your place in the company's future.
What's the History of This Position?
You want to know what the original plans were regarding the position you're interviewing for. Is it a newly conceived position, or one that's been around since the company was founded? Who held the position most recently, and why did that person leave? This information may help you discern whether the position offers opportunity for advancement and what expectations other people have concerning it. Does the job come ready to go, with a to-do list waiting for you, or are you going to have to make up your job description as you go along? Asking your own interview questions about the position's history helps you discern your own future.
What's Your Single Biggest Challenge?
Asking this interview question lets the interviewer know that you're prepared to face oncoming challenges and to be part of the team that solves any ongoing problems. It also enables the interviewer to visualize you as part of that team and allows you to prepare answers for future interview questions, including those you may be asked in a follow-up interview.
Do You Have Any Hesitations About Me?
This is a hard interview question to ask, but it's a crucial one. Because most job candidates don't have the nerve to ask this question, you set yourself apart from the pack when you pose it. If the job interviewer does bring up concerns, address them forthrightly and use this moment as another opportunity to point out your qualifications for the job.
What's the Next Step?
Don't let a job interview end without asking this vital interview question. This is your moment to link your own future to that of the company. It lets you know how much longer the interview process is likely to last, which can keep you calm as you wait for the phone to ring. It also tells you if you have any homework to prepare for future interviews or testing. In addition, it gives you one last opportunity to communicate your enthusiasm for the company and the job.
Don't let your job interview end without finding the moment to ask these four crucial interview questions. Asking them shows that you've thought ahead to this moment and lets the interviewer see how prepared you are – not just for the interview, but for your future with the company.
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