Interview Questions to Ask

Knowing what interview questions to ask is a critical part of interview preparation. Preparing for a job interview involves more than just being able to present your background to a hiring manager. Job interview preparation also involves knowing what questions to ask.

How many times have you been asked by a hiring manager if you have any questions? And, how many times have you found yourself saying:

The interview is over. Chances are you won't be invited back.

Savvy hiring managers often differentiate between equally skilled candidates based on the quality of the questions they ask during the interview.

There's nothing more disappointing than having an otherwise solid candidate tell me that he/she has no questions regarding the company I'm working with or the position we're trying to fill. Now, I know I'm good - and I give my candidates a lot of information about my client and the job - but, if a candidate can't come up with at least a couple of good questions, I know that they haven't done their homework.

In preparing for your interview, you should be armed with a list of interview questions to ask that are relevant to the opportunity. Asking good, insightful questions tells a hiring manager a few things:

• You've done your homework.
• You're trying to put the pieces together and need more information to draw conclusions.
• You're interested in the opportunity.
• You're smart.

You want to ask questions that show a level of knowledge that goes deeper than what's on the surface. Anyone can ask generic questions, such as:

While there's nothing wrong with these questions - and you'll need to ask some questions that are rather basic - you'll want to incorporate more insightful questions as well. Questions like:

• What are the key deliverables for this position over the next 6 months? 12 months?
• What are the goals for this unit/department for the coming year?
• How will my performance be evaluated?
• How are quotas established?
• What are the biggest challenges for your team in achieving sales results?
• How do you differentiate your product/service from your competitors?

In your interview prep, your research should give you some good material to draw from. Questions about the company's business, priorities, and strategic direction that tie back to information you've researched will show a level of job interview preparation that most candidates won't bother with. This preparation will make you stand out from the crowd.

We've compiled a list of interview questions to ask that you can tailor to your specific situation. We annotate our list with an eye toward what you should be looking for from this prospective employer.

Remember, interviewing is a two way street. You need to evaluate how this opportunity matches your personal objectives, just as the company evaluates your background to see if you're the best fit for the job.