At the end of nearly every job interview, your interviewer will ask something along the lines of “do you have any questions for us?” It can be tempting to answer with a quick “no” and finish up with the interview, but this has the potential to seriously affect your candidacy for the job.

In asking this question, interviewers are looking to see if you’ve been paying attention throughout the interview and trying to gauge your interest in the position. Failing to ask a single question can make you come off as disinterested – a major red flag.

No matter how thorough your interviewer was in describing the job, there is always room to ask at least one question. However, in the heat of the moment, it can be difficult to come up with a question that seems thoughtful and intelligent. An excellent strategy to get around this is to come up with a shortlist of potential questions before the interview begins. Here are a few examples to consider.

1. “Who are the top competitors in this industry?”

Let’s imagine you’re searching for a career in consumer non-durables, and you’ve been studying the industry and have good suggestions for the company you’re applying for. Asking this question will open the opportunity to show you’re knowledge in the consumer non-durable industry.

2. “What are some of the challenges I will face in this position?”

Recruiters and hiring managers like to know you’re anticipating the possible challenges you may face on the job. SO this is a very pertinent question at the moment they are still deciding if you’re the right person.

3. “What skills do you think are necessary to succeed in this position?”

Asking these sorts of questions shows you are already thinking ahead about what strategies and skills you will need to use to be successful in the position. The ability to plan ahead for problems you may face is a great quality in a potential employee.

4. “What do you personally most enjoy/find most challenging about working for this company?”

With this question, you end up pulling the best emotions from the interviewer, which will make him remember you with good memories.

5. “What is the workplace culture like here?”

Culture is one of the most selective factors in recruitment. If the hiring manager thinks you don’t match the culture, you are probably not going to the next step. Understanding their culture in the early steps of the process may be key to getting the job offer.

6. “How long have you been with the company?”

People love talking about themselves! Asking these kinds of questions is not only a great way to connect deeper with your interviewer but also may provide some insight into whether the position is the right fit for you.

Listen closely to the answers you receive to determine whether the details of the position as well as the workplace culture will be a place where you can have a meaningful career and succeed in your goals.

7. “How do you see the company growing in the near future?”

This question is important for you to understand if you have chances to grow when the company grows. If you choose to apply for jobs in companies in very consolidated industries, such as the above-mentioned consumer non-durable industry, such as Whirlpool (refrigerators, freezers, microwave ovens, etc), you will probably have fewer chances to grow than in a web hosting company such as AWS.

8. “How does this company better than its competitors?”

Asking questions about the company and the industry will not only provide you with helpful knowledge but will signal to your interviewer that you are interested in the dynamics of the company and the industry itself.

If possible, make use of the research you did before the interview, and phrase this question in a way that shows you have some knowledge about the company and the industry.

9. “Do you have any concerns about my experience or qualifications?”

Although asking about concerns may be uncomfortable, this gives your interviewer a final chance to clarify any information they may be unsure about.

Additionally, it gives you an opportunity to speak candidly about your weaknesses and potentially diminish any concerns.

10. “What are the next steps/expected timeline?”

Consider this as the final question you ask your interviewer. Asking about the next steps shows you are interested in the position and pursuing the next stages of the hiring process.

Also, it will allow you to plan ahead for whatever comes next.

Wrapping Up

This article describes the importance of asking questions at a job interview and offers ten sample questions to improve your chances of getting the job.

These questions are a great start to showing your interest and attention, but some or all may not be appropriate for the position you are applying for.

Spend some time before the interview researching the company and the requirements for the position. Identify things you are genuinely interested or curious about and use this to formulate a shortlist of potential questions.

Do your best to ask open-ended questions rather than ones that can be answered with a simple yes or no. Your authenticity will come through at the interview, greatly increasing your chances of getting the job you’re applying for.