An important part of your job search is preparing questions to ask in your interview.
Interviews allow employers to understand if you are right for a role – and help you decide if the job is what you want. Asking questions is also a great way to show you are interested in joining the company.
Here are our top five questions to ask.
What is the company culture like?
You can decide if you are a good fit for a company by learning more about the workplace culture. What values are important to the company? And how do those values affect the employees?
Think about the type of company you want to work for and the benefits you would be interested in. You also want to find out if the company is friendly and welcoming – and if there is employee support and progression opportunities available.
What is the team like?
Your interviewer is often your potential manager, which gives you chance to get to know them. But you might be wondering what the rest of the team are like.
Find out how large the team is and what everyone’s roles are. You could also ask about workplace socials and team building days to understand how team members interact.
Are there progression opportunities?
Every job is an opportunity to grow and develop your own personal skills, so it is important to ask about career development and promotion pathways.
You could also find out about the training available. You want to make sure you are learning new skills and developing existing ones.
What does a typical day in the job look like?
This question is a great way to learn more about the job role. It will help you understand if the job is right for you and will give you an idea of the different things you might be doing.
It is also a great way to understand whether the role varies from day to day or if your routine will be more fixed.
Does the company support employee wellbeing?
Illness and workplace stress can affect all of us, so you should find out about the employee support available. This could range from sick pay and extended leave to mental health support services.
Larger companies might provide benefits like private medical care or employee assistance programmes, whilst smaller companies might not have the resources to provide this. It is therefore important to make sure you will be supported in your workplace, especially if you have an existing health condition.
Practice those questions to ask in your interview
Do not be afraid to ask questions in your interview – even if they seem silly! It will show employers that you want to learn more about the role and will give you important information about the job.
Make a list of questions before the big day. Many interviewers will let you take them in with you.
