Happy Sunday, everyone!

I read this article on Ragan.com called 14 key questions you should ask a potential employer. I really liked this article because the author, Marc Cenedella, mentioned a good point. Interviews are not about you but about what you can do for the people who are interviewing you. In that case, you’ll want to focus on just that. Show your interviewers that you are genuinely interested in the success and sustenance of the company you want to join.

Cenedella mentioned 14 key questions for your next interview. Because it’s nearly impossible to remember that many questions when you’re walking into a job interview, I decided to break it down into the types of questions that you should ask and why these are important.

1. Ask about any big changes the organization has made recently.
   Retrospective learning. This shows that you’re interested in what made this company what it is today. You can use this information to make informed decisions in the future should you receive the job.
2. Ask about the company’s competitors.
   This demonstrates that you like to pay attention. Letting your interviewer know that you’re willing to follow the company’s competitors shows that you’ll do whatever it takes to drive the organization in the right direction.
3. Ask about the workplace culture.
   Clearly, you’ll want to know what it’s like to work there. And asking about it will show that you have a desire to fit in. And not fitting in, like a high school outcast kind of way. But fitting in, like a responsible employee who wants to contribute to the workplace culture that’s already in place.
4. Ask what the interviewer expects from this position.
   Anytime you ask about the interviewer’s expectations, you have the golden ticket. Showing that you care about the interviewer’s expectations before you’re offered the job shows that the interviewer’s opinion matters. Not to mention, it’s good to hear what the interviewer has to say because you never know what good advice or secret tips he or she might spill to you.
5. Ask any question about your interviewer and how he or she got into this industry.
   Let’s be honest. Everyone loves to talk about themselves. Redirect the interview to your interviewer. Once he/she is talking about “the good ol’ days,” you’re good to go. And the interviewer will appreciate that you showed interest in him/her as an individual, not just as an interviewer.

Are there any other types of questions that you believe are important to ask in an interview? Let me know in the comment section below.

Thanks for reading! 🙂