“So what questions do you have for me?”
Just as recruiters and hiring managers have favorite things to ask candidates in job interviews, you should be prepared with questions of your own.
Asking questions during your interview helps convey your interest in a role and employer, and it can give you insights into the job, company, and colleagues you’ll potentially have.
Irmgard Naudin ten Cate, global talent attraction and acquisition leader at EY, told Business Insider two of the questions job candidates ask that always make an impression on her.
One is, “What does success look like when I’m doing this job?”
Naudin ten Cate explained why it’s such an effective question.
“I always really love that question because when you hear the answer, you hear what’s important to people, and then you can follow up with all sorts of questions around that,” she said.
It can open up ways to learn what your prospective colleagues do, what kind of work you’d be performing, and where the role fits into the larger picture. You can get more granular by asking what success would look like in the first 90 days, or the first year, Naudin ten Cate said.
Having been at EY for over 20 years, Naudin ten Cate also loves being asked why she’s stayed and what she likes about the company. It gives you “a much more personal view of the work,” she said.
Posing this question can help build a more personal connection with your interviewer, Naudin ten Cat said, and uncover more about career growth opportunities.
Whether you ask those two questions or others, Naudin ten Cate advises applicants to try to get answers that speak to the company’s values so you can see how well they do — or don’t — align with yours.
“Those are the questions that always resonate with me,” she said.
