"Do you have any questions for me?"....and then silence. Total silence.
It's what your career counselling warned you about, as the prolonged, awkward silence is followed by an "umm" and then a mental showreel of facepalms.
Every job hunter has been there at some point and hasn't come fully prepared for an interview. Best case scenario: You pull a rabbit out of a hat and win them over with your ad-libbing powers. Worst case scenario: You stammer a "no thank you" and run screaming for the hills.
Why should you ask questions during an interview?
According to The Interview Guys, a job interview is a bit like a first date, meaning you wouldn't want one person to do all the talking the entire time. Boring, right?
The guys say that not asking questions is a huge missed opportunity as it provides a better insight into what life with your date (new job) might look like. It also shows the hiring manager that you're serious and will go the extra mile to find out more.
So how do we find out more about our date? That's right, by asking good questions. Here we look at six of them, so you can ensure that all those tafe online courses you took result in a paid role. Keep reading to find some questions you can add to your repertoire.
Question #1 - What do successful hires do during their first month here?
As free online courses in recruitment teach, some jobs will have an induction period, whereas others require that you hit the ground running. By asking this question, you demonstrate that you have a get-up-and-go attitude and aren't likely to treat this as "just another job".
The answer should give you a bit of direction as to the role's major priorities, so you don't suffer a case of "if only I knew then what I know now".
Question #2 - What's the team's most prominent issue, and would I be in a position to help you solve it?
This question shows that you are a team player and would take the initiative to improve the status quo. It also forces the hiring manager to imagine you being in the role to provide you with an answer.
Question #3 - You've been here X number of years. What keeps you motivated?
Well done, you've done your research!. Your career counselling professional will tell you this is a significant feather in your cap, as it shows you haven't just done a quick Google search before the interview.
Also, suppose the hirer has been at the company for a while. In that case, this will give you a deeper insight into the company culture, training and opportunities, and the main objectives the manager would like to achieve.
Question #4 - How will you measure the success of this role?
Doing work without an end goal can make staff feel purposeless in their jobs. This question will allow the interviewer to think seriously about what the ideal candidate should achieve and how they will measure it. As for how it helps you? It shines a light on the fact that you like to be accountable and will be the person to achieve the goal.
Question #5 - Can you tell me more about the team I will work with?
Usually, interviewers can be vague about the team, only providing the idea that it's a “big team" or “small team". Considering you could be seeing these people several days per week, it's helpful to understand what they are like as people.
Pay close attention to how the interviewer talks about the rest of the team. Are they sincere with their true feelings, or are they quick to talk about how great they are? The answer should give you a clearer picture of how the team dynamics work.
Question #6 - Do you have any concerns about my study?
The Interview Guys and career counselling experts agree that this question should be left to the end of the interview - mainly because it's quite gutsy. It may make the interviewer go, "Woah!" but by asking it, you will clear up any niggling concerns the interviewer may have.
It will also reassure them that you are the right person for the job and set realistic expectations for you where you stand with them.
Enhance Your Employability With OCA Short Courses
Use these great questions during your interview, and you'll increase your employability significantly. Another way to do so is by taking CPD Endorsed short courses online with OCA. Comprising easy-to-digest video modules and with 1-to-1 mentoring support, our online courses offer a next-level learning experience.
To fully understand what learning with us is like, take a look at our student study demo highlighting all the benefits you will enjoy. Alternatively, to see the entire course library that covers more than 20 industries visit us today at www.onlinecoursesaustralia.edu.au where you'll also find our flexible payment plans.
Alternatively, to speak to our team about your learning needs, contact us by emailing us at [email protected] or call us on 1300 611 404.
- Career Development
