You might only have a few minutes at the end of your interview to ask questions, but they matter more than you’d think. “The quality and thought that goes into the questions candidates ask weighs into my overall evaluation of fit for the role and within our team,” says Jennifer Hankin, chief of staff at StartUp Health, a digital health company. “If someone has no questions, or asks something that could be easily found on our website, that is a sign of lack of effort on their part,” she explains.
So how do you ask smarter, better questions? For one thing, you shouldn’t wait until the very end when the hiring manager turns the tables—you should weave them throughout the interview. But beyond that, you should think a little harder about which questions reveal your priorities, personality, and skills. Here are a few that hiring managers love hearing.
1. What Do You Like Most About Working Here?
This may not be the most unusual question, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t memorable. Alexandra Scheiman, global talent acquisition manager at Spotify, says that “most often at the end of the interview, the majority of candidates ask me one of two questions: ‘What do you like most about working at Spotify?’ and/or ‘Describe the company culture.’” But despite hearing them so often, Scheiman says these inquiries stand out.
“I really enjoy answering both questions because it gives me the opportunity to share how much I love working with such talented and passionate colleagues.” As career coaches like to point out, giving interviewers a chance to talk about themselves is a great strategy across the board. Not only does it let you show off your active listening skills, it also gives you a window onto the work culture, which can be frustratingly hard to uncover as an outsider.
Hankin also loves discussing her experience at the company, especially since she was an early hire. Two questions she likes are: “Why did you join StartUp Health?” and, “What has kept you there for over four years?”
Darrell Jackson, an HR recruiter at Amazon, agrees. “I always think it’s smart when job seekers ask me about my point of view and my experiences as an employee [because it shows] they want to understand what it’s like to be in an employee’s shoes, and they are thinking about their career in the long term.”
2. How Has Your Role Changed Since Joining The Company?
Another reason to ask about the hiring manager’s experience, says Hankin, is to learn how you can advance at the company. She suggests these two: “What growth opportunities and changes have you witnessed at the company level that have been most exciting?” and, “How did you…