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8 smart questions to ask hiring managers in a job interview: 15 Questions To Ask a Hiring Manager in Your Job Interview
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As you prepare for your next job interview, it’s important to know what kinds of questions you should ask the hiring manager. In addition to asking about salary and benefits—which are always important considerations—you’ll want to ensure that you’re a good fit for their company culture and see if there’s anything else they didn’t already cover in other parts of the interview process (like phone screens or reference checks). To help you out with that, here are 15 questions every candidate should be asking during interviews with hiring managers: 1. Why is this position open?
2. What do you like best about working here?
3. What kind of work environment do you prefer?
4. If I were offered this job, what would my first few weeks look like?
What does the culture of the company look like?
A company’s culture is a reflection of its leadership, so it’s important to understand how your prospective employer defines and portrays their company culture.
The best way to do this is by asking questions related to how the hiring manager describes their working environment as well as what makes them unique from other companies. For example: “What does the culture of the company look like?” or “What are some examples of how our unique culture makes us stand out among other organizations?”
What are some typical career paths for people in this role?
This is a great question to ask, because it shows that you’re interested in the future of your career. It also helps you to understand what kind of path people typically take in this role, which can help give you an idea about whether or not it would be right for you.
If the hiring manager doesn’t know much about those things, then ask them how they would advise someone else in your position. That will give them the chance to share their own experiences and point out any common paths taken by others who have gone before them.
How do you feel about team-work?
The next question to ask is: “How do you feel about team-work?”
Team work is very important in a job, and if the hiring manager doesn’t think that it’s something that can be done well at your company, then maybe this isn’t the right place for you. If they say that teamwork is essential and something they value highly, then it’s time to find out what kind of team would suit you best.
Do they prefer small groups or large ones? How many people make up their teams? What kind of tasks do these different sized groups handle? Do they have any specific advice on how best to work well within each type of group structure (e.g., “make sure everyone has an opportunity to speak up!”)?
What’s the most rewarding part of your job, and why?
The most rewarding part of my job is when I see the results of my work. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I see that my work is appreciated by others, and it makes me feel like I’m making a difference in people’s lives.
What are your expectations for this role and how is it different from other roles I’m interviewing for?
This is a great question to ask because it will help you get an idea of what exactly the hiring manager expects from the role. You want to make sure you’re not being hired for something that someone else has already done, and if this is your first time interviewing for a particular type of job, it’s good to know what kind of experience they are looking for.
This also shows them that you are serious about wanting this position and care about understanding its responsibilities so that when you take over the role, there aren’t any surprises.
How would you describe your ideal candidate?
The most important question to ask a hiring manager is “How would you describe your ideal candidate?” This will give you an idea of what they’re looking for in terms of skills, experience and personality traits.
It’s also a great way to determine whether or not this job is right for you. If the company’s culture doesn’t align with your own goals or values (e.g., it’s too corporate-minded), then it may not be worth pursuing further.
Would you mind sharing a bit about your background and how you got to where you are today?
This is a great question to ask because it helps you get to know the hiring manager, and it also allows them an opportunity to share their story. The more you know about how they got where they are today, the better equipped you will be at making sure that your career path aligns with theirs.
This question is especially useful if there are no other openings in their company right now but there’s still potential for growth within the company (or even if there isn’t). You can use this information to determine whether or not this would be a good fit for both of you before accepting any offer from them!
Which company values are most important for success here?
The first question to ask a hiring manager is, “Which company values are most important for success here?” This question can help you determine if the company’s culture is right for you.
If you don’t know the answers to these questions already, it’s time to do some research on the company website or by asking around. Find out what values are most important in this particular workplace and how those values align with your own personal or professional goals. Also think about whether or not there are any red flags that would make you rethink applying at that specific organization (e.g., if they advertise themselves as progressive but their leadership team doesn’t reflect diversity).
What are the biggest challenges that this job faces right now, and how would those challenges change if I were chosen as the new hire?
If you want to be hired for this job, you should try to understand what the biggest challenges facing your potential employer are. If a new hire can help solve those problems, then that person will be more valuable than someone who does not have an answer.
Hiring managers should know this question is coming and have prepared answers ready for it. If they don’t have good answers ready or seem flustered by it, I would suggest asking them again later in the interview process when they’ve had time to think about their response and practice giving one out loud several times before meeting with you again!
What kind of training will I get during my first few months at this company, and what’s next on the learning curve after that training period ends?
The training will be customized to your role. It’s important to know that the company doesn’t just throw you into the deep end and expect you to swim. You will get personalized training based on what they need from you and how they want you to perform in your job, which may be different than other employees’ roles.
The training will be ongoing and tailored specifically for each individual employee’s needs, so make sure that your questions are specific enough that they can provide an answer without having any idea what kind of training might be available at this point (or even later on down the road).
What kinds “non-negotiables” do you have with respect to working from home or traveling regularly or working late hours or things like that that may not be part of my job objectively but could be important to me personally and professionally? (This question can help establish if there are any potential red flags in terms of how flexible/unflexible an employer may be when it comes to work/life balance).
You should ask this question because it can help establish if there are any potential red flags in terms of how flexible/unflexible an employer may be when it comes to work/life balance.
For example, if your dream job requires traveling regularly and working late hours but the hiring manager says that “working from home” and “traveling regularly” aren’t part of his company’s culture, then it might not be right for you after all.
The best thing about these questions is that they’re so open-ended. You can ask them in any order, or mix and match them as you like. They’re also designed to get the hiring manager talking about their own experiences as well as what they expect from you–which means that even if you don’t get an answer right away, there’s still value in asking these questions!