Want to know the most important question that you are basically guaranteed to be asked in any interview?

 “Do you have any questions?”

One of the most important parts of an interview to nail is no doubt towards the end of the interview when they flip the interview in your hands and it’s your turn to ask some thoughtful questions to truly convey just how much you want the job and that you are innately curious about the company and role.

Why is it so important? Because interviewing ALWAYS goes both ways.

At PACE, we’ve seen time and time again candidates not getting offers because our client employers are left feeling that candidates are unengaged, not interested or simply do not care enough about getting the job to prepare some thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer.

Not only is this an awesome time to ensure the hiring manager or interviewer that you are VERY interested in the job, but more importantly this is an opportunity for you to get some insight into the company and what your day-to-day could be like. Accepting a job offer is a life changing decision, make sure you are well aware of what you are getting into!

Here’s are some uninteresting and run-of-the-mill questions to avoid:

? Pay and benefits

? Work hours

? Unspecific questions about company culture, leadership or decision making (which differ greatly from team to team and are very subjective)

? PTO and remote work options

? What do I need to do to succeed in this role? (This has already been conveyed in the job description but you could take some of the skill requirements and pose a question about it to dig a bit deeper.

Note: If you are working with a staffing or recruiting company, many of these logistical details should be discussed with your recruiter rather than the on-site hiring manager that will be overseeing your day-to-day working responsibilities.

Great questions that will get you the job!

✅ Looking back a year from now, what do you hope the person who fills this role will accomplish?

✅ Are new hires assigned a mentor to help with day-to-day questions or issues to help transition into their new role and company?

✅ How long have you been with the company and what makes you stay?

✅ What question do you wish you’d asked when you were interviewing for your current role?

✅ Tell me about a time when you felt proud to work here

✅ Why is this role open?

OR

✅ Ask follow up questions based on what you have discussed in the interview so far. While being engaged in the conversation should be your top priority, feel free to take notes while you are being interviewed (a nervous brain doesn’t remember much) and then when it’s your turn to ask your interviewer a question, reference back to something you have previously discussed and dig a bit deeper on that topic.

Bonus tip! To show your interviewer that you are super interested in the role, when you send a post-interview thank you email, include a thoughtful question like one of these!

While these questions should help to guide the questions you ask in your interview, make sure that you are thoughtful and intentional about which of them you ask. When selecting questions make sure they are appropriate given the role you are interviewing for, the information you have already been given or discussed and the position of the interviewer. The questions should always vary by the interviewer – never be prepared to ask the same questions to every interviewer! Doing so is sometimes worse than having no questions at all so be sure to not let this important opportunity ruin your interview or chances of getting hired!

 

 

PACE Staffing Network is one of the Puget Sound’s premier staffing /recruiting agencies and has been helping  Northwest job seekers find their “just right” jobs for over 40 years.

A  3 time winner of the coveted “Best in Staffing” designation , PACE is ranked in the top 2% of staffing agencies nationwide based on annual surveys of customer satisfaction.

PACE provides multiple placement options….

• Direct Placement – Full or Part Time
• Temp to Hire Auditions
• Short or Long Term Temporary or Contract Assignments – Full or Part Time

Our services for job seekers include….

• Resume reviews and consultations
• Access to the “Hidden Job Market”
• Insider intros to TOP Employers HIRING NOW
• Confidential Job Searches
• Professional Career Guidance

There is NEVER A FEE for using our services. 

We provide paid absence and healthcare benefits for employees assigned to work at client sites thru our services. .

To learn more about how one 2 minute application can open doors to a full range of PACE placement services plus introductions to local employers hiring now,  contact PACE’s candidate services team at 425-637-3301 or e mail candidates services at candidateservices@pacestaffing.com.