8 Candidate Questions You Need To Be Prepared to Answer

8 Candidate Questions You Need To Be Prepared to AnswerDuring the interview process, theres a significant amount of heat on candidates when it comes to fielding questions to prove that theyre a good fit for an open role within a particular geschftliches miteinander. As they interview, theyll be meeting with a hiring manager and often a team of other employees. At this time, theyre expected to eloquently answer a range of questions about themselves. Everything from past work experience to their biggest weaknesses are fair game. But if a candidate approaches the process correctly and thoroughly, theyll also do their fair share of question-asking. Making koranvers a candidate is an appropriate fit for a lage is a two-way street.Why is it necessary for a job seeker to ask their own set of questions during an interview?To some people, it may seem odd that a job seeker comes armed with their own list of candidate questions to toss an interviewers way. The hiring manager clearly has the upp er hand. Theyve got a dozen or more qualified and interested applicants who want this position, so why should they waste time on someone who needs to verify that the job will be a good fit for them too? Heres why a candidate who asks questions during an interview is actually beneficial to everyone involved in the processIt shows the candidate is investedIf the part didnt care about the position and were simply seeking employment, they wouldnt want to know about the kinds of projects theyd be working on or the types of people theyd be working with, should they receive a job offer. Theyd just be glad to have a job and a paycheck. But by asking questions about the details of the role, this individual is illustrating that theyre interested in more than just a salary theyre seeking a career. Theyre showing that they want to contribute positively to this office environment, and theyre looking to stick around for the long haul.This candidate is valuable to an employer who loses time and mo ney by constantly having to train employee after employee when ill-fitting individuals leave after only a matter of months.Youre checking for cultural fitSomeone can be absolutely perfect for your company on paper theyre well educated, experienced, maybe even award-winning but in real life, they just dont mesh well with your team. Maybe their personality doesnt blend with the rest of your staff, or their work style or approach to projects doesnt sync up with how your office does things. When both interviewer and candidate ask questions about how that candidate operates versus how that office does things, it becomes easy to identify who would be a good fit and who would ultimately be unhappy should they be offered a role within that business.Youre identifying potential harte nusss before its too lateAn interviewer cant possibly cover every bit of information that a potential employee might need to know before accepting a job. By answering candidate questions and having a conversati on about the role, it allows potential hiccups in the equation to reveal themselves before its too late. If, for example, theres a certain type of client that the candidate absolutely refuses to work with, this point might come up when questioned about it during an interview. Had this back-and-forth elend taken place, the hiring manager might not have thought to mention the fact that the business serves this particular kind of client.Dont be surprised if candidates asks you questions in the jobinterview. They can reveal a lot.Click To TweetThe questions a candidate asks during an interview can vary from basic logistics about the job to more high level, deep thinking, lets stop and analyze this for a second inquiries. With that said, here are some candidate questions you should always be prepared to answer when you sit down for a one-on-one with a potential new hireHow does this company measure success?Success varies from business to business so any responsible would-be employee will want to know how your company gauges achievement. Is it based on sales? Leads? Projects completed? Be prepared to answer this thoroughly. You might also want to provide examples of the work habits of people who have been successful in this position in the past. For example, Susan had this position before you, and she seemed to find success by staying organized, attending networking events to grow her client base, and by doing a mixture of cold calling and e-mailing, while working connections she already had. Simply saying, We measure success by having people work hard and try their best isnt helpful to potential employees.What would you expect from me in my first month, 6 months, and a year from now?You should have a set trajectory in mind for your new employee in order to help everyone gauge this individuals achievement level and keep them on the right path. Giving them real direction and guidance about where they need to be headed is an important part of keeping the person motiva ted. When a new hire has no idea whats expected of them now or in the future, its easy for them to feel discouraged or overwhelmed by their role. You should have small, easily attainable goals for when they first begin their work. Youll also want to establish larger goals that could be accomplished after six months worth of work, and big picture goals that youd like to see accomplished after a years time.Why is this role important to the growth of the company?This isnt your typical what are my duties? question, and requires deep thought on the part of the hiring manager. Is the individual who fills this role taking over a position thats been around since day one, or are they coming in to take on a new position, filled with new projects and potential? Theres no wrong answer, but its important to establish which path this role will take the employee down. If its a position that everyone knows and is familiar with, the required job duties are more set in stone. Veteran employees know w hat to expect as they interact with the person in this position. This can cut down on the amount of ramp-up time required for a new employee, but it doesnt always allow for imagination and innovation on the part of the new hire. If its a newly established position, it lets the recently added team member figure out how to create value as part of the team. However, it can also take them longer to figure out where exactly they fit in within the business. Decide what needs are most pressing within your business and proceed accordingly.How will I be making other employees jobs easier?With this question, youre able to show the potential hire who theyd be working with most closely, while also indicating how theyre adding value to the company. This gives them insight into how theyd fit in within the organization, without having to break down the intricate inner workings of the team in a way that might be overwhelming to someone who doesnt even know where the restroom is located yet. Its jus t enough of an overview for them to understand where theyd fit in, without burdening them with information they dont need in this exact moment.What matters to people who work here?This can spark a valuable conversation about company culture as well as a discussion about the kinds of employees you currently have on staff. What are the people like? What can this person expect as they come to work each day? Is the office more collaborative or do people typically tend to work individually? Are office hours flexible or do people show up, work their set schedule, and then leave? What kinds of ideas are welcomed within the office? What kind of energy can you expect? Because this is becoming increasingly important to job seekers (and business leaders say culture and engagement is their number one challengeaccording to a study by Deloitte University Press) its a conversation worth having right off the bat.Companyculture is employers 1 problem (DeloitteUS). Fix it by discussing it with candid ates.Click To TweetWhat is your favorite part about working here?Job seekers view a veteran employee as a valuable resource when theyre on the hunt for a new career opportunity. They value honesty as they interview. Just as you want to make a smart hiring choice, they want to make sure that the next job they take is a great fit for them. Therefore, youll often get this question from potential new hires who are curious about what you as a real person, not just a representative of your company, like about coming to work each day. Is it the people you work with? The kinds of projects you get to work on? What makes you excited to leave the comfort of your bed, sit in traffic, and head to the office? Feel free to give your most honest answer. Theres no response that is too silly or small. Whether you love the additional educational opportunities youre presented with or the delicious, healthy free food thats always available in the break room, talk about it. Your responses are highly valu able to people who are hoping to join your team.What could my trajectory be within this company?Every hiring manager should want to hear this question because it indicates that the individual intends to stay within the organization for the long run. Be honest about the typical path a person who begins in this role takes, but also be willing to have a dialogue about other options. Just because past employees have followed a certain path, doesnt mean that is whats most desirable for your new hire. Be willing to give this individual the flexibility and freedom to operate in a way thats most appropriate based on their skills, needs, and desires as well as what benefits the company.What are some of the biggest challenges or problems facing this department currently?While you obviously want to paint your company in a positive light, theres no need to gloss over issues your business might be facing. Even the best-run companies experience regular challenges. If an interviewee asks you direc tly about the bumps in the road, be honest. You dont need to air all of your companys dirty laundry, but you can give some insight as to the struggles your department is working to overcome. Are you trying to deal with budget constraints? Is there a disconnect between your department and another department within the organization? Are you doing double duty as someone is out on maternity leave? Should this individual get hired, you want them to walk in on their first day with a complete picture of the kind of situations theyll encounter. Being honest about the challenges youre facing is an important part of making that happen.Regardless of how long youve been with your company or how deeply you believe in the businesss mission, you may find that at some point during an interview, a candidate poses a question that you simply dont know how to answer. Rather than worrying about seeing incompetent or unprofessional, feel free to be honest with this individual. Explain that youre unsure a bout the answer to their inquiry. Then direct them to someone who can provide the information, or offer to get the information and follow up. If you offer to get back to them yourself with the information, make sure you actually do this. Theres no shame in not knowing the answer immediately, but you owe it to the candidate to provide them with the information they were seeking in a timely manner.What are some other candidate questions you should be prepared to answer during the interview? Share in the comments below