Important Questions to Ask as a Candidate in an Interview

Asking intelligent questions at an interview shows you're engaged and seriously interested in the company and the position. The kind of questions you ask can make an impression on the interviewer as much as your answers do. Another reason to ask questions is to identify any red flags and find out if the job is the right fit for you.

A good way to discover possible challenges is to ask why the position is open. Is it a newly created role? If not, how long was the previous employee in this role? If this is a job where no one stays more than a few months, that could be a sign of poor management. If it's a completely new role, you may be able to help shape the role and make more contributions.

While asking too much about holidays or working hours in an interview may come across as lazy, it's fair to inquire how many hours someone in the position typically works. If you're expecting a 40-hour work week, you don't want to find out when you start work that most employees are working 60-80 hours. Especially if you have family commitments such as picking up children from school, employers will appreciate it if you're honest about this from the beginning.

To get an idea of the company culture, ask for a description of the working environment. Is it formal or casual? Do employees have a lot of independence or flexibility or is everything rigidly standardised? Is there a lot of team collaboration? Find out if it suits your working style.

To show that you're enthusiastic about personal growth and career development, ask about training and professional development opportunities. This also lets you know how much preparation you'll get to do the job well if it's something you haven't done before. Asking these questions helps both you and the interviewer discover if this job is the best fit for you.