Don’t Be Afraid
Job hunting is not a one-way street. You’re not only allowed to ask questions in an interview, but I’d encourage it. You’re the one spending the next chunk of your life at this potential position, so you’d better make sure it’s at least somewhat a good fit for you.
Remember that you’re not the one offering a job, so be respectful and humble of the interview. Asking too many questions will turn you into “that guy.” So try not to be “that guy” either!
**Only ask these questions if they haven’t already been answered for you by the recruiter.
List of Questions:
Is this a new position?
You’re asking this question to find out why the last person who held this title didn’t work out, if there was a last person. You’re also looking to find if the previous person had success in this position, which leads to the next question.
Where have past employees succeeded in this position?
You shouldn’t put yourself in a position to fail. So if there’s anything that a previous employee did to succeed in that role, you should consider adopting it.
What do you enjoy about working here?
Job culture is a huge factor of your success. If an employer doesn’t have an answer to this that you like, I’d walk out. Enthusiasm out of the recruiter is everything, and if they have none, you now have to ask yourself a serious question; Is this place for me?
What would you expect out of me in the coming months (growth-wise)?
Nobody’s looking to stay at the same position with the same pay forever. So find out whether or not there’s any vision for you and your potential position moving forward.
What are some challenges I’ll face if offered the position?
No job is rainbows and sunshine all the time. You’re asking this questions to figure out if there’s any transparency between the staff at that place.
Summary
If you’ve ever been told you need to ask an intellectual question, forget that advice lol… But the reason is because recruiters aren’t looking for a whiz kid. They’re looking for a connection on a communication level. So you don’t have to overthink your questions, just have fun and find the right place for you.
Never limit yourself to the questions you see here. If there’s a question that you wanna ask during the interview, then ask it. Just remember that you’re not the one offering the job, but employers love to see some enthusiasm/curiosity in an interviewee.