In almost every job interview, you will have the opportunity to ask questions to your interviewer about the position, the organization, and anything else you can think of. You can use this time to get to know the people and company you may be joining.
You should have at least three questions prepared to ask during the job interview. It can be equally challenging to think of questions and to choose which ones to ask, so here are three examples of good questions to ask in a job interview.
What does a typical workday look like?
If your interview takes place over multiple rounds and days with different people, you should ask 2-3 questions per round. The first round’s questions should be more about your daily responsibilities. This is a good question to ask in a job interview if you want to learn more about:
- Your role and the typical routine you can expect
- Who you’ll be working closely with on the team
- What the company is expecting from you
- If you have correctly understood the role and the company
Getting an idea of your daily duties at the company is essential for contractors, since you will want to settle into your position quickly. The closer your expectations align with the company’s, the more smoothly your onboarding process will go.
What is the team’s culture like?
Another good idea for a first-round interview question is to ask about the team or company culture. This type of question allows you to learn about the team’s shared values and behaviors and decipher additional team insights.
Do different people give different descriptions of the team culture? Do their answers make it harder or easier for you to imagine working at the company? Do the beliefs and attitudes they share align with your own? Asking about the team culture can help you learn all of this and more.
How much flexibility will I have?
Due to an increase in remote and flex schedule jobs, many contractors need their clients to be as specific as possible about their expectations for working hours, accessibility, and more. This type of question can help you understand these expectations better. For example:
- Is the position fully remote, on-site, or flex?
- Will you be required to travel?
- Are you expected to work a certain number of hours per week?
- Is there a set schedule, or can you choose your own hours?
- Are there specific times you will need to be reachable?
Knowing the answers to these questions is especially vital if you are working two contracts at once. The more information you have, the better you can judge if this job fits your schedule and needs.
Other tips for asking questions in a job interview
If you have more questions after the interview is over, get in touch with your Black Diamond Networks recruiter! Email them over in a professional manner, and your recruiter will either be able to provide answers directly or work with the sales rep to answer your questions.
While there is no such thing as asking too many questions, it is wise to spread the questions out between different people if you have the opportunity to do so. If you are interviewing with multiple people, try to learn as much about each of your interviewers as possible to plan out the questions you want to ask each person.
Occasionally, your interviewer may answer all your questions throughout the conversation. It’s best to try to think of new questions on the fly, but if you can’t, there are two things you can do. First, acknowledge your questions were already answered. Next, recite back some answers to confirm you interpreted the information correctly. These steps demonstrate your preparedness, active listening skills, and communication skills.
We hope this guide has helped you feel more confident about good questions to ask in a job interview. If you have any other concerns or are ready to dive into job applications and interviews, reach out to Black Diamond at any time!
