September 21, 2021
Tarah Webber, Talent Acquisition Partner
Preparing for an interview is stressful. You want to ensure you are thoroughly answering all the questions asked and highlight your experience. But what about your questions? Those are important too, and how you ask them can also make all the difference in your candidacy. You want to sound interested but not demanding. How do you do that? Here are some tips from our Talent Team here at BLEND360:
o Prepare some questions before the interview instead of waiting for them to “come to you”. It’s okay to ask some based on the interview discussion or skillsets that are needed for the role. However, coming into the interview with your own questions shows that you are prepared and interested in the role.
o Don’t take charge in the very beginning and ask all your questions first. An interview is a give and take – make sure you let the Recruiter/Manager ask questions too. And, it’s always a green flag when an interviewer leaves time in the interview for you to ask your questions.
o Be sure to ask questions aimed at skills and experience required for the role. The earlier in the interview you can ask these, the better. This allows you to tailor your responses to highlight why you’re the best fit for the role. For example:
o “What would you consider to be the most important aspect of this job?”
o “What have been past challenges for someone in this role?”
o Be straightforward and clear when asking your questions. You want to sound professional and engaged when asking your questions. It may also be a good idea to write down the response in case it answers additional questions you have, demonstrating you are engaged in the conversation.
o Present yourself as interested in the response you receive to your question. Practice active listening. Coming across as calm yet enthused by the answer will show your interest in the company and role.
o Avoid asking questions that are clearly answered during the interview OR on the employer’s website. This shows lack of attention to the conversation and can come off as uninterested or unprepared.
o Make sure you are asking different types of questions. As the interviewee, you should want to understand both the immediate role and the team you may work with, as well as the company, it’s culture, and their vision of for the future.
o Wait for the appropriate time to ask questions regarding salary expectations, benefits, PTO, etc. Asking too early can be interpreted the wrong way and seem as if that is all you care about – when you should be focused on the role and responsibilities.
We hope these tips help you ace your next interview, answer any outstanding questions you have, and land your next great opportunity. While you want to make sure the Recruiter or Client has all the information about you, it’s important to have your questions answered too. That way, you can make an informed decision about whether this is the right role for you. If you or someone you know are looking for anew opportunity, take a look at our job postings– we’d love to connect with you!
