I have been pondering lately on how to respond when the interviewer asks if you have any questions for them. After much pondering, I have compiled a small list of questions to ask for my next interview.
- Describe to me an overview of your day at work and the technologies you employ.
- There are times when the job description does not encapsulate the position you are applying for. I know many students who feel dejected after the first month of their job. The job description can be generic and/or deceitful. I have seen students applying and receiving job positions for fullstack developer or backend developer to only work in devOps or QA. It’s absolutely crucial to know what to expect in the job. Do not assume what the job is. I have been lucky to have an interviewer giving me an overview of the various teams I may join and what they do. Contrary to what the job posting states, the actual positions and tasks did not match what was advertised.
- Having knowledge on the day to day job for the position you are applying for gives you an insight into what your day-to-day work is going to be like. This can help you spot red flags though the interviewer may sugarcoat the job which I have seen before.
- knowing what technologies they employ can give you a rough idea of what skills you need to brush up on. Even if you do not receive a job offer, it’s great to know what and how other companies are tackling a particular issue, what technologies they employ, and what skills the industry are looking for.
- What are the pain points your team are having?
- This shows your interest to solve problems the team is facing. In addition, it also informs you what to expect on the job.
- If you have multiple interviews with various companies on the same position, you can see if pain points are shared within the industry.
- What are you excited about in the field?
- you get perspective of what to invest your time in and the opportunities that lie within the field
- What are common issues you see among applicants?
- this is a perfect way to see what red flags to avoid. If you committed these red flags, you now know to not repeat the same mistake and improve your chances to get a position for next time
- What are some skills or traits do you wish more applicants have
- the answers will give you areas where you can improve to succeed in your job hunt
This is not a complete list of questions you should ask in your next interview. There are other questions that may be of interest to you such as the compensation package and the work hour expectations. But I want to focus on thinking of questions that invoke a learning experience. Something that you can take away from the interview even if you do not get the position.