“It is so important to have quality questions when you are interviewing,” stresses executive coach Lori Scherwin, founder of Strategize That, a company that helps professionals get more out of their careers. “If not, you risk coming across as aloof and uninterested. Being excited and always interested in learning are key qualities of successful people…come prepared with questions about the business, the position and the workstyle.”
What are the top three priorities for the division/team? This shows interest in the business, and also allows you to better gauge how your role fits in, Scherwin says.
What are you most excited about accomplishing this year and how could my role help make that happen successfully? This shows you are goal-oriented, Scherwin notes.
What is your preferred work style? “So often, people don’t know the expectations of their manager and feel at their whim. But if you can connect early and figure out the best way to team together, you’re likely to eliminate a lot of unnecessary stress,” Scherwin says. “Do they encourage autonomy or want hourly check-ins? What will it take to get more responsibility? How often are they in the office vs remote? These things, that on the surface seem trivial, can add up in terms of individual preferences, and can impact how you/your future manager feel about a project regardless of the work content.”
“Finally, even if you have been conversing throughout, have a final one handy,” Scherwin adds. “Ask, ‘If you were me, what else would you be asking?’ It’s a great way to show you value all opinions and will ask for input from others. It also allows you find out what might be top of mind for the hiring manager that s/he might otherwise not have proactively shared.”