Write your resume in 15 minutes
Our free collection of expertly designed resume templates will help you stand out from the crowd and get one step closer to your dream job.
By asking insightful questions that showcase your true interest in the particular position and the company. But what are the best questions to ask at an interview?
This guide will cover all the important things like essential questions to ask an interviewer and ensure to make an informed decision about your future workplace.
- Company's Culture
- Team Culture & Dynamics
- Understanding the Job Role
- Professional Development & Growth
- Onboarding Procedure
Understanding the Company Culture
What is the company culture?
Company culture is the employees' shared values, beliefs, and practices within the respective company. Simply, it's the social glue that sticks all of the organization's employees together for a longer time.
A lot of job opportunity is coming out! If you are an expert in social media platforms & have relevant experience then you can apply for a community manager. Build a strong resume & cover letter with the help of a community manager resume guide.
Why company culture is a crucial part of the interview process?
A company's culture is a crucial part of the hiring process because it affects your work experiences, job satisfaction, mental health & happiness. A good cultural fit can lead to a more productive work environment & durable stability.
Questions need to be asked to the hiring manager about the onsite workspace, remote work policies, and office layouts, which can give you a better idea of what to expect.
How the company has progressed over the years?
You can ask about the company’s history and evolution during the interview. This will give you an objective about their current status & the company's plans. Enquire the hiring managers about the company’s milestones, company changed, and major pivots in business models. This will help you to understand the company’s flexibility and resilience during the challenging situation.
A few related interview questions: About company culture to hiring managers
Can you describe the work environment in this company?
What are the company’s important values & how do they implement them?
How does your company ensure a healthy work-life balance?
Team Culture & Dynamics
What is a team culture in an organization?
Team culture is the way people interact & collaborate with one another in an organization. You can ask about the team’s dynamics, communication style, tools, and technologies used to maintain collaboration within various teams in the organization. It gives you an idea of whether it matches your work preferences & style.
What are the team priorities?
Asking the interviewer about the team priorities gives an insight into the team’s workflow, everyday responsibilities and how they contribute to new projects & challenges. Understanding the team’s priorities will give you an objective about what to focus on and how to align your contribution with the team’s goals.
How was the team form?
Inquiring the right questions to the interviewer during the job interview is never a waste! The team composition - roles & responsibilities of each member, would guide you on how to fit in the team & collaborate with your colleagues. Understanding team formation will give an idea about the team’s structure & dynamics.
The game is fun! Designers apply their best creative minds in designing the games. Applying for the same job role is easy as many gaming companies are looking for game designers. However, it becomes difficult to get selected as there are a lot of competitions. Apply with confidence & take help from the outstanding game designer resume guide to stand out from others.
The relatable interview questions to ask: About team dynamics to the hiring manager
Can you tell me something about the team which I will be working with?
How does the team collaborate & communicate?
What are the team’s strengths & areas for improvement?
Understanding the Job Role
What is the job description?
It is a detailed description of the role that you are applying for. Understanding the job description would make your work easy, as you can match your skills & career goals. During the job interview, you can ask good questions directly related to the ambiguous points in the description & ask for examples of typical projects. This will help you in measuring the main responsibilities & expectations of the specific job.
Being an interviewer isn't an easy job! You are responsible for bringing talented people on board & for that, you need to go through plenty of resumes. But when you look for a job change your resumes are critically judged. Take help from the interviewer's resume guide & apply without worrying.
What are the day-to-day responsibilities?
Asking about the day-to-day responsibilities will give you a vivid picture of your daily work and responsibilities. You can enquire the hiring person about the tasks you will be working on, the tools to be used, and the people you will be managing or interacting with. This information in the interview will help you to understand whether the particular role matches your experience and interests.
How does the position contribute to company goals and objectives?
Inquiring about the job position and how it fits into the broader company's future goals, is the best question to be asked. So, it might give a purpose and direction for your workflow. Understanding the contributions to the company’s success and the performance review process will help you understand the job position's significance.
What is a typical day in the role?
A typical day in the role varies depending on the job role and the company. You can have a conversation with the hiring manager to describe for you the typical day at work which includes routine tasks, meetings, and many challenges. It will help you get a clear end view of what you expect from the job role and prepare yourself accordingly for the biggest challenges.
A translator has the biggest responsibility of translating emotions and communicating important messages in different languages. They usually possess a great knowledge of different cultures and languages. No doubt companies are becoming globalized & the requirement of a translator is in demand. So, apply to the translator role with a strong resume & cover letter with the help of a translator resume guide.
A few related interview questions to ask: About the job role of hiring manager
Can you provide examples of a typical day or week in this job role?
What are the key responsibilities for this job position?
Can you explain the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this job position?
Professional Development & Growth
What are the professional development opportunities?
Professional development opportunities play a vital role in your career growth and satisfaction. You can enquire your interviewer about the most important things - training, mentorship, and skill development opportunities. Getting an idea about the company’s commitment to professional development will help assess your growth potential within the company. And you can decide whether you want to get into the next steps or not.
What are the new skills to be learned in this company?
You can have a conversation with the interviewer about the new skills and opportunities for personal & professional growth. Inquire about the various technologies and tools you will expose during your tenure & how they will align with your future career goals. Later, you can think whether you are interested in this position or not.
A technical writer job is a crucial job role! They are responsible for writing the technical instructions and manuals, & overall content to help industries with their products. If you are a technical writer but don’t have a strong resume to apply then worry not! Now, apply with the help of a technical writer's resume guide.
What is the performance review process in the organization?
You can enquire your interviewer about the formally reviewed process which will help in the evaluations & set realistic goals. You can ask the hiring manager to describe the frequency of reviews, performance expectations, evaluation criteria, and the feedback process. It will help you to understand how your performance will be measured & you can continuously improve.
What are the stretch assignments?
The stretch assignments help in developing potential skills & taking on additional responsibilities. You can the hiring person to describe the types of assignments you will be provided and how that would align with your career goals. It will help you to decide about the growth and development within the job role.
Relatable questions to ask in the interview: About the professional development & growth
What professional development opportunities does the company offer?
Does the company provide mentorship programs?
How does the company support employees in achieving potent skills?
Opting for a personal assistant job can be a challenging task! The job is solely based on communication, administrative skills, and the situations of assisting. To apply for such a position, you need a strong resume with a proper job description, experience mentioned, and an impressive cover letter. Take guidance from the personal assistant resume examples.
The Interview Process
What are the steps in the interview process?
Knowing the steps in the interview process would help you prepare adequately and handle your expectations. You can ask questions to the hiring manager about the number of rounds of interviews, the topics of discussion, and many more. It will give you information about interview rounds & you can plan your preparation for the same with confidence.
What will be the hiring timeline?
The best questions to ask your hiring manager is the hiring timeline. You need to enquire in detail about the expected timeline for each of the interview rounds from the initial to the final one. Knowing about the timeline would help you organize your job search and plan as required for the next steps in the interview.
How the hiring decision is made?
It is a great question to ask your hiring manager about the hiring decision like criteria used for evaluation, the process of decision-making, and the number of people involved in the decision. This will help you to prepare for the interview, customize your approach, and highlight the relevant aspects of your experiences.
In the world of content creation, editors play a pivotal role! This position requires exceptional attention to detail, experts in tools, proofreading, and lots more. Writers like you always look for such a position to upgrade their career ladder. Applying to these positions without a proper resume & cover letter might not convert your dream into reality. Take help from the editor's resume guide & apply with confidence.
Final questions to ask your hiring manager: About the interview procedure
Can you take me through the hiring process?
How many interview rounds do you have for this job role?
How many interviewers would be present in the interview?
The Onboarding Process
What are the onboarding process and timeline?
The onboarding procedure and timeline would help you prepare to transition to the new role. You can have a lengthy conversation regarding the steps for onboarding, what sort of support you can expect, and the timeline for becoming successful employees. It would be great questions to ask about the duration of the onboarding sessions after selection.
What are the support and training provided during onboarding?
You can measure success of the company with its support & training programs during onboarding. Collect sufficient knowledge from the hiring person during the job interview about the resources, mentorship, and training programs that would be provided. It will give you a better understanding of the kind of support & preparation you need for the new role.
Are you seeking a program manager role? A program manager plays a crucial role in any company as they coordinate many projects & programs, and implement strategies to ensure the company’s goals are met. So, apply with your best resume & cover letter by taking help from the program manager's resume guide.
What is the management style of onboarding?
Enquiring about the management style in the organization for onboarding will give you an objective about its functioning. It will also provide you with knowledge in the interview on how they support the new employee in the organization and potent skills for their career development.
What will be the first projects & expectations?
Having a thorough knowledge of the first projects and expectations would help you prepare for the initial tasks and responsibilities. In the interview ask about the particular projects you will be working on, the goals that need to be achieved, and the expectations of your performance. It will help you focus on your work & excel in your new job offer.
The Assistant Manager works closely with the manager. His primary responsibility is communicating with the employees about the job expectations, monitoring, and appraising the performance. So, if you have all the skill sets of an assistant manager but fall short due to a poor resume & cover letter, then get help from the assistant manager's resume guide.
Similar questions to ask in the interview to the hiring manager: About the onboarding sessions
How would you evaluate your management style in your company?
What will be the first projects I will be working closely with?
What do the onboarding sessions look like?
Never step back from asking the right questions during the job interview. The more you know the company culture, job specifications, and expectations from the job role, the more you have clarity. Whether this job role aligns with your career goals & values. Engaging actively in the interview, and showing genuine interest would help you with a better career choice.
