It all comes down to preparation.
Job interviews can be a stressful time for many people. You cannot always be fully prepared for questions being asked by the interviewer but being prepared to ask the right questions will not only lower your stress, it will also make you appear confident and ensure the job is the right for you.
Think of interviews as conversation between you and the interviewer rather than an interrogation.
Keep that conversation going by asking open ended questions. Huffington Post’s article “11 Impressive Questions to Ask At The End Of Every Job Interview” identifies 11 best questions to be asked. This compilation came directly from recruiters and hiring managers.
1. What made you choose my resume for an interview?
2. What are the biggest challenges faced by your company/department today?
3. What makes you different from your competitors?
4. Can you give me an example of how you live out the company values?
5. What is your training program like?
6. What recent diversity hiring and promotion efforts are you most excited about?
7. What do you enjoy most about working here?
8. What are the most successful team members doing differently from the average team member?
9. How will you know whether you hired the right person three months from now?
10. How would your co-workers describe your management style?
11. Can you show me around before we wrap up?
It’s best to add questions throughout the conversation, as appropriate, rather than asking them all at the end of the interview No need to ask all 11 questions: be mindful of the interviewers time and ask only those questions you feel passionate about.
The questions above are all open-ended providing insight for both you and the interviewer. The answers to these questions will provide advice, a clear job role, training, job growth, and responses to determine if the company is the right fit for you.
The act of asking the questions will show the interviewer your diligence, interest in the business, and confidence.
Move forward with confidence; you got this!