Why is it important for candidates to have job interview questions for employers?
At the conclusion of an interview, it’s common for you as the hiring manager to ask the candidate if they have any questions for you. While this might seem like a trivial courtesy, it’s actually an important part of the interview process that lets you know how invested the candidate is in the position. The questions that candidates ask you can indicate where their interests lie and what excites them most about the company. They also demonstrate how well prepared the person is for the interview. A candidate who asks irrelevant questions or inquires about something obvious that is on your company’s website hasn’t done their homework prior to your meeting.
How to answer these 10 interview questions from the candidate
Although there’s no way to predict what candidates are going to ask you during the interview, you can prepare some basic answers to commonly asked questions. Thinking about what candidates will want to know in advance gives you time to coordinate with the rest of your team and ensure you have all the necessary information to share with your pool of applicants.
1. When can I expect to hear back?
This is one of the most popular questions asked by a candidate during an interview. They want to know how long they should expect to wait before hearing from you with a potential job offer. You should prepare a specific timeframe when applicants can expect to hear from you with a decision before conducting the interview. This enables you to give the candidate a concrete idea of when they’ll receive a job offer if they are selected for the role. It’s important to set this expectation because the individual might be interviewing for multiple jobs and will need to wait to hear from you before accepting another potential offer.
2. What are the next steps in the hiring process?
Applicants want to know what they can expect after the interview concludes and they leave your office. When a candidate asks this question, it typically indicates they have experience with the modern interviewing process and understand that there are multiple rounds of interviews, reference checks and conversations that take place before a candidate is offered the job. Be clear about what the next steps will be for the candidate based on how you feel the interview has gone up to this point. Outline when they can expect to hear from you or someone else at the company about your decision or when the next round of interviews will take place. Tell them what channel of communication you’ll be using so they know whether to wait for a phone call or to refresh their email regularly.
3. Is this a new position or was someone else previously in this role?
Applicants ask this question to understand if they’re filling the role of someone who is departing or if there’s room to carve out what this role entails if they land the job. If the position is not new, prepare to tell the candidate, truthfully, why the role is open while still respecting the former employee‘s privacy. Avoid indicating whether the role has a high rate of turnover, as this may deter candidates. Instead, if this is the case, tell them what you’re hoping to find in an ideal candidate for the job and reiterate that you want to hire someone who’s ready to make a long-term commitment to the company.
4. What do you like most about working for this company?
Candidates may ask this question in an attempt to connect with the interviewer or out of genuine curiosity to determine what employees like about working for your company. Answer truthfully and use this as an opportunity to share the best parts of your workplace with a potential new hire. This is a chance to get someone excited about working for you or with your business.
5. Who will I be reporting to in this role?
Candidates may ask this question if it wasn’t touched on during the rest of the interview. They may indirectly be inquiring whether they will work for you directly or for someone else. Be prepared to define the role that the job reports to and in what capacity. Be sure to share such information as whether their manager will be local or remote so the candidate can get a good idea of what being managed at your company looks like.
6. How long is the training process?
Applicants may rightfully want to know how much training is provided for this job, especially if the role is highly technical. If you’re not familiar with the training process yourself, do your homework to find out what it looks like before conducting the interview. Tell the candidate how many days of training they can expect, who will be training them and what compensation for training looks like.
7. How do you motivate your employees?
Candidates can use the time they have to ask questions as a chance to interview you to see if your company is a good fit for them. Someone asking a question like this knows their worth and sees themselves as an asset to your business, which is a positive sign. To answer this question, explain your leadership style and emphasize the importance of providing positive feedback. If the company has any incentive programs in place, you can explain what those are.
8. Are there opportunities for advancement in this role?
When an applicant asks about future advancement opportunities within your company, this is a sign that they’re playing the long game. They’re searching for a job in a company that gives them room to grow and develop as a professional over time. To instill confidence in a candidate asking this question, explain what measures your company puts in place to support internal hiring and transfer opportunities. Highlight the potential career trajectory for someone entering this position.
9. How many people are on this team?
Candidates want to know what kind of workplace they’re going to enter on their first day if offered the job, including how many coworkers they’re likely to have. Provide a clear overview of the typical size of a team in your company, the number of direct reports the candidate will have and how many peers they’ll work alongside.
10. How would you describe the company culture?
According to a Workplace Culture Report, 86% of Millennials are willing to take a pay cut if it means working in a better environment. This result demonstrates the high demand for a company culture that supports work-life balance and employee mental health. To answer this candidate question, be honest about your take on the current culture in the workplace. If there are team building or mental health initiatives in place, discuss them.
