7 Better Questions You Can Be Asking at the End of Your Interview

By now, you know you’re not only expected but encouraged to ask questions at the end of an interview. This can be difficult, as you may be so focused on answering the questions that the recruiter has for you, you forget to ask ones of your own.

What should you ask to set you apart from the pack? You need to focus on queries that will demonstrate a knowledge of the company and a desire to learn more. Read on for seven questions that will help you leave your interview feeling like a champ.

1. How do you imagine your ideal new hire jumping into this role?

According to Forbes, it’s important to clarify exactly what the department expects of new hires right off the bat. This could mean asking a lot of questions upfront or following a step-by-step training course that welcomes more questions on the back end.

2. How does this department communicate?

Whether a company emphasizes group meetings, one-on-ones, phone conferences, etc. can tell you a lot about the organizational structure within…and how much work you’ll have to do in order to adapt to it.

3. How will this new hire make your job easier?

This question gets the recruiter thinking about the position specifically in terms of herself. And, as we all know, most people’s favorite topic is themselves! It can also give you insight into how this person operates, which will be a valuable heads up if you wind up getting the position.

4. What are some of the tasks you’d like your new hire to accomplish immediately? How about over the next year?

It’s never a bad idea to learn exactly what will be expected of you. By hearing what your possible new position entails both at the beginning and once you’ve had a bit of time to settle in, you can get a clearer picture of how the office operates as a whole.

5. What made you choose to interview external candidates for this job opening?

This can be a very revealing question, depending on the type of organization. The recruiter’s answer—whether the reasons make sense, whether he seems nervous when replying, whether he even has a reply—will go a long way toward telling you what kind of company you’re looking to enter. Sometimes a department is required to interview outside candidates even when it’s already made the decision to hire from within. Or sometimes the company is such a disorganized mess no one has any real sense of direction. Regardless of the answer, you’ll learn a lot.

6. What style of leadership is most prevalent in this office?

Whether you can expect your possible future boss to take a hands-off approach or be constantly breathing down your neck, it’s best to know during the interview process so you can prepare for (and possibly learn to adapt to) it.

7. How do your stated company values show themselves in the office?

Since you’ve researched the company (make sure you’ve researched the company), you know what their stated values are. Ask how the organization actually follows through on one or two of them. This tells them you’ve done your research (yay!) and also gives you the chance to see if the company is sincere (hint: If the recruiter does not have a clear answer to this, the company may be more interested in buzzwords than actual follow-through).

It’s not essential to ask all of these questions when meeting with a recruiter, but these should be the types of questions you consider. Remember: when it comes to job interviews, how you wrap things up can make all the difference!