Why Asking Questions In An Interview Is So Important
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Asking questions is an important part of learning and understanding certain situations in everyday life. As human beings we are naturally curious and like to explore different avenues; asking questions helps us to do this. In an interview setting it can be a daunting task trying to think of the right questions to ask but try to think of questions before going into an interview that will put across your interest in the role and working for the company.
While some job-seekers do not ask questions at all due to the stressful nature of interviews, others tend to ask ineffective questions that do not fully highlight a genuine interest in the role. This is an opportunity for you to get a greater understanding of the job you are interviewing for. It explains the duties you will perform with the bonus of getting an insight into the company from a person rather than a job spec or corporate website.
When an interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions?” towards the end of an interview, think of this as an opportunity to stake your interest. Stay away from questions about remuneration and other perks as these can create a bad impression but ask educated questions that show you have done your research on the company and the role.
The key is to ask evocative questions which will allow the interviewer to tell you about the role and get them thinking of various aspects of the company they like with the added benefit of providing you with first-hand information.
Some examples of effective questions can be “What would be expected of me in this role within the first 6 months?” This is a great question, it makes the interviewer envision you performing the job you are applying for, while giving you an outlook on what you can expect in the mid to long term. It is a good note to end the interview on. Another effective question to ask the interviewer would be “What interests you most about this company?” This registers with the interviewer that you are curious about the company beyond your own personal interests. A lot of the time questions can be too self-centred, by asking this question it allows you to get a first-hand account of life in the company.
