5 Questions To Ask During Your First Interview
Having interview questions and interview tips and tricks is important because we all get nervous during our first interview. Thinking of interview questions prior to the meeting can help. Whether it be for an internship during college or your first job after college, fear of the unknown and not knowing what to expect can be stressful. Having interview tips and tricks up your sleeve is one of the best ways to remain calm and confident going into the interview.
One of the best interview tips I have gathered along the way in preparing yourself for the interview is by asking good questions. Besides researching the role and the company having interview questions at the ready is a must.
They must be relative to the position and I recommend having them written down prior to the interview with space to write down the hiring manager’s answers as well as a place to jot down additional questions that may arise during the interview. Nothing has the hiring manager tossing your resume in the trash can then if you don’t have any questions to ask at the end of the interview.
Having interview questions prepared prior to the interview or jotting them down as they arise during the interview will show your vested interest in the position. They don’t have to be anything super in-depth, but asking questions will show your interest in the position and could put you above the rest of the candidates.
1. “What kinds of growth and career development are available with your company?”
Interview questions like this one are a great one to start off with because it shows that you are planning on growing with the company over a long period of time and are looking at long-term goals with this position. This can often answer a question that a lot of interviewers ask in terms of where you see yourself in 3-5 years. By asking questions about how you can grow within the position and ultimately the company will kill two birds with one stone.
This is also a great way to learn about some of the benefits that the company offers its employees like incentive programs, training, or job shadowing. Interview questions like this are a great way to learn if a company looks to promote within or if they look outside the company when it comes to higher positions.
Extra Interview Tips: If the interview is virtual, make sure your video, microphone, and internet connection are set up prior to the meeting.
2. “What do you like most about working for this company?”
This interview question will give you some insight into the culture of the company and how it treats its employees. This is important because a lot of reasons people leave jobs for other opportunities are not always because of money, it’s because of the toxic work environment that makes it impossible to work.
Another key piece of information you can gather from this question is if there are any perks or benefits that the company offers its employees that would not necessarily be highlighted in the job posting. These can be incentive programs if it’s a sales position or how managers interact with their team if it’s a position that heavily relies on working with others day to day.
Extra Interview Tips: Maintain eye contact when asking your questions and make sure to jot down your answers in case you need to reference it later.
3. “What would my day-to-day routine and responsibilities look like?”
Understanding what your core responsibilities will be every time you log in or come into the office is one of the essential interview questions to have answered. This will give you a better concept of what the job will require from you on a regular basis.
Sometimes a job listing can be too broad in terms of the responsibilities you would be taking on, so getting more in-depth information about the position can best determine if this is a good fit for you and something you really want to pursue. There are also instances where job listings leave out some responsibilities you would be handling in order to attract more candidates.
This question will show the interviewer that you are a serious candidate and want to be fully prepared if you are offered the position. It shows that you want to be ready to hit the floor running from the very first day.
Extra Interview Tips: If you can’t think of an answer to their questions right away, give yourself some time by repeating back the question out loud.
4. “Is this a hybrid, fully remote, or in-office position?”
With all the changes that came with the pandemic when offices were closed and employees were working from home, a lot of people were hesitant to return to the office as they enjoyed the flexibility to work from home. This led to a lot of companies expanding the ability to work fully remote to all new applicants for job openings.
It is important to make sure both you and the interviewer are on the same page on what they are looking for in a candidate and what you are looking for in a job when it comes to where you will be expected to be working.
If you are looking for something fully remote but the position requires you to come into the office 2-3 times a week, it may not be a great fit. But it is better to learn this now than after you accept the job offer.
Extra Interview Tips: Dress properly for the meeting. Don’t show up in a t-shirt and jeans. Make sure your outfit is business professional.
5. “What would be the next step of the hiring process?”
Interview questions like this are best to end with. It will again show your eagerness for the position and that you are looking forward to the next step whether it be another interview or an assessment. Most interviewers will let you know when you should expect to hear from them and this question will help naturally ease into that discussion.
Feel free to ask for the best contact such as an email address or phone number in case you don’t hear from them by the expected date.
Extra Interview Tip: Once you’ve asked all your questions and the interview is concluded make sure to send a thank you follow-up email thanking the interviewer for their time in meeting with you. This will again make sure you stick out from the other candidates.
