Read our tips for asking questions in a job interview and you can be sure that getting the position will not be due to a lack of interest!
Question suggestions:
- Which of the company's three values would you say is most present in your daily operations?
- Last year your growth was staggering. Is your goal to continue at the same pace, or perhaps level off?
- I noticed that you opened another office in Helsinki a moment ago. Do you have plans to expand outside the capital at some point?
Show that you know where you are coming
The easiest and most natural opening is to ask about the company and its operations. Do background research, for example, through the website and social media accounts. Find out about the company's business figures.
By utilizing these points, you can form questions regarding value drivers, business, and how they work together. However, always aim to build questions that are valuable to you.
Question suggestions:
- Why is the position open? Is it a new position, or has the person moved on to other tasks?
- What is the ”normal” daily rhythm of the position?
- What kind of development path is there forward from the task?
- What do you think are the most important qualities to succeed in this role?
- How complete a package are you looking for? What kind of onboarding/training process do you have?
”What will i actually be doing?”
The job advertisement has hopefully already given you a comprehensive picture of the job description and areas of responsibility for the position you applied for. Therefore, the interview is a great place to delve deeper into the role and its future.
Often it is good to ask a direct question about the expectations the recruiting party has for you and through that start justifying why this position is exactly the right one for you.
Question suggestions:
- Could you tell more about the team structure? Who does it consist of and how are the areas of responsibility divided within the team?
- How does the team take care of its team spirit?
- How much cooperation is done within the team across area of responsibility boundaries?
”…and with whom?”
In many tasks, you jump in as part of a team. This can mean various combinations with areas of responsibility and job tasks. Therefore, it is good to use the opportunity to map out the team building around you.
Remember that it should feel good for you to join as an employee among new people.
Understand the importance of workplace culture
Whether you are applying for a part-time or full-time position, as a recent graduate or as a professional, we recommend filtering companies in the application process that feel like a match with your own values.
Many companies list their values on their pages; ask how these are visible in the company's daily life. You can also ask how, for example, the interviewing manager leads the team through culture or what the company culture means to them.
When choosing a new job, you should feel a sense of belonging to the potential employer's culture for your own well-being and motivation.
Find out about the company's challenges
All companies have their own challenges, which are good to ask about in the interview. You can consider different angles position by position and ask how you can influence these problems in the position.
Checklist
Finally, a few more reminders:
- Do your background work well and prepare several questions in advance. Many of the questions you have prepared might be answered already during the interview. Therefore, it is good to be prepared with a larger battery of questions.
- Ask 1-3 questions and keep them relevant
- Make questions that are relevant to you. Although you want to be remembered and make a good impression on the interviewer, it is primarily important that you get information for yourself. The interview is equally your opportunity to get information about your potential employer.
- Form and ask open-ended questions that generate conversation. Avoid yes/no questions.
- Once created, you can also utilize the battery of questions in the future.
