During the job interview most of the time candidates for the position are the ones who answer questions from the interviewers. That is why it is particularly important to prepare well to be able to give correct answers.

Although it will ask a lot of questions, interviewers often give candidates a chance they to ask questions if they want to know more about the position or the company. Asking the right questions is as important as giving the right answers to the questions of interviewers. However, while this is so, very few candidates take the advantage often answering “I think I know everything I need at this time” or “when describing the position already answered my questions,” etc.. Answering this way, candidates does not use the chance to ask questions which will make a difference and will highlight them from the other candidates in the group.

If the interviewer does not offer you the possibility of asking questions, then at the end of the interview, candidates should ask whether the interviewer has time for a few questions that would have in order to better understand the position and the organization.

The importance of the questions of the candidates on the outcome of the interview highlights the need for adequate preparation. Wrong choice of questions may have backfired and bring you more negative points than non-using the opportunity to ask any.

In this regard, the questions that the candidate will ask should indicate his/her way of thinking, the high level of interest in the position, awareness of the wider environment of the position as well as a sense of teamwork, strategy and structure.

Although there are hundreds of questions that can be asked during the interview, we recommend the following few that allow you to obtain reliable information and that, more importantly, will highlight you as a top candidate for the position.

1.In order to better understand the position, could you tell me what are the main responsibilities and duties?

This question shows that the candidate is really interested in the position and that he/she wanted to understand the specifics of it before he/she accept the offer. Setting several sub-questions candidate gives an impression of a systematic person. This also means that it is a candidate who will not rush into the unknown without finding out the most important details.

2.What are the biggest challenges for the position in the coming period?

Besides understanding the main tasks and duties of the position, another important dimension is understanding the major challenges in the following period i.e. the period immediately after his/her employment. This will also show that it is a candidate who is not occupied only with the daily tasks in the status quo environment, but that it is a person who motivate the challenges and changes and is ready to make an additional effort to solve these challenges.

3.Is it a stand-alone position or it belongs to a team? What is the organizational and personnel structure of the team? What character qualities should the new members have to be appropriately recognized by others in the team?

It is important to show that the candidate is willing to understand where the position belongs to the organizational structure of the company and the sector. It is also important to show that it is a team player. The third question, however, will show that the candidate is aware of the importance of each team member and how their personal characteristics contribute to the team culture and effectiveness. In this regard, you may ask whether it is possible after the interview or at a certain time during the selection process to meet the team that you will work with. It will show that you are eager to know the people you cooperate.

4.What qualities (skills, knowledge, competencies) need someone to have in order to be successful in the position and in general in the organization? How do you evaluate the success and performance? What kind of system performance management have? How do you manage the potential of the employees and their careers?

This set of questions will open up a completely different dimension. It shows that the candidate is not interested only to get the position, but he/she wanted to know what it takes to be successful in it. These questions are excellent to distinguish those candidates who simply want to employ from the ones who want to contribute to mutual success. The second part of the questions, however, shows that the candidate is aware of the existence of systems performance management and that his/her aspirations are not limited to get the working position, but that he/she strive to improve and enhance in order to progress to a higher or more responsible position.

5.Could you describe the organizational culture? Is it more formal or informal? Slow or dynamic? Whether it is based more on cooperation or independent work?

The culture, according to its shortest definition is the way we do things in the organization. Therefore, these questions demonstrate an awareness of the informal part of the work and working environment, and the impact that the culture has on team effectiveness and success.

Often even the interviewers not think about it, so do not be concerned if you catch them off guard. For them it will be a great mental exercise to assess the organizational culture, and you will have an additional plus in the evaluation because you have opened an entirely different aspect.

6.What is the company’s strategy for the next 5 years? Does this vacancy contribute in achieving it?

Before you accept the offer it is good to know in which direction the company is heading and what it would do in the next few years. In addition, asking this questions gives an impression of a candidate with strategic thinking, or at least someone who recognizes the need of alignment of its work and the company strategy.

7.What are the next steps in the selection process? Is there anything else you would like to know about me and my experience?

With these questions the candidate gives impression that it is interested in the outcome of the interview and is prepared to discuss further in order to allow the interviewer to create a better picture of him/her. Also it shows confidence because usually candidates who ask these questions believe that they left good impression and that they will advance in the next step of the process.