One of the ways you will be evaluated during the hiring process is by the questions you ask the company. You would be surprised by how many people respond “no” when asked if they have any questions. Not asking questions might tell the hiring manager that you aren’t that interested in the role or company and that you might not have the qualities they are looking for in a candidate.
You should ask strategic questions to show that you are interested, curious, intelligent, inquisitive and most importantly, did your research. This results in you getting as much information as possible to make an informed decision. Furthermore, be sure to ask specific questions curated for each person in the panel; they don’t want to hear you ask multiple people the same questions.
Here are some questions that you could ask at the end of an interview to show that you have the qualities mentioned above and to give you a competitive edge:
What are the top three things you’d like for this hire to accomplish in the first 6 months?
What is the usual progression for top performers in this job?
What makes your top performers different?
If you had an extra 20% added to your budget, how would you spend it?
What is the top skill you wish you could improve in your team?
Which departments does the (department of the role you’re interviewing for) team work with on a regular basis?
What is the current working dynamic like between those cross-functional teams?
What is the (department) workflow?
Why are you hiring for this role right now?
What is the biggest challenge your team has faced in the last year, and how did your team overcome it?
What does the company do exceptionally well?
Tell me about some of your key metrics. How do you measure performance?
What keeps you motivated and excited to come to work every day?
Why did you join ____________________?
How will you know that a (desired role) has been successful in the first 6 months? How about the first year?
Who is the best (desired role) you’ve ever managed and how does my background compare?
What does the current go-to-market strategy look like today?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of the (department of the role you’re interviewing for)?
Can you give me the names of four people whose careers you have fundamentally improved?
If I asked each of your team members, how would they describe you as a manager?
What are three things you’re currently working to improve in yourself professionally?
How would you describe the company’s culture?
How does the company work to develop its employees for bigger roles and opportunities internally?
Can you share the reasons the last couple of people in your org did not work out and/or left?
How has the company been impacted by the recent downturn in the economy?
What challenges has the team encountered in penetrating new accounts?
What types of accounts are considered low-hanging fruit?
What percentage of reps hit their quota each year? How does the top 10% perform?
What are your concerns about me as a candidate?
Do I have your endorsement to move forward in the process?