21 Questions : Things you should and shouldn't ask your potential employer

Interviews are an essential stepping stone to landing a job. Most candidates expect to be grilled and tested by their interviewers but few remember that asking questions themselves is an important part of the interview process.

Being prepared for your interview and knowing what questions to ask potential employers not only demonstrates your interest in the job and the company, but it’s a key indicator of confidence as well.

In this post we examine the questions you should and shouldn’t ask your interviewer.

Let’s start with the questions you should ask :

Company Centric Questions:

1. What is the company’s culture like?

2. What type of leadership style/philosophy does the company employ?

3. Are there opportunities for growth and advancement within the company?
4.Does the company offer education and professional development opportunities?
5. What sets the company a part from its competitors from a public and insider perspective?

Job Specific Questions:

6. Can you describe the responsibilities of the position?

7. What is a typical day in the position like?

8. What is a typical work week like and is overtime expected?

9. What is the typical career trajectory for someone in this position?

10.What are the top three essential skills required to succeed in this position?

11. What specific skills and qualities would your ideal candidate possess?

12. Is this a new position or did someone leave this position?

Questions for your information:

13.Would you like me to provide a list of references?

14. If I am extended a job offer, how soon would I be expected to start?

15. When do you expect to make a decision? Next steps?

Questions to Avoid:

16. What is your background? How did you get the job?

17. Did I get the job?

18. Do you do background checks?

19. What does the company do?

20. Do you have any concerns about me or my qualifications that would prevent me from getting the job?

21. How quickly will I be promoted/ get a raise?


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