How Great Questions Make You Stand Out in an Interview

If you're a job seeker preparing for interviews, you've likely seen what not to do: awkward pauses, forced small talk, and answers that run too long. You’ve put in the time to avoid all of that, and your answers are ready. 

Unfortunately, many candidates overlook one powerful differentiator: thoughtful questions that you ask the company. These questions you ask showcase your curiosity, preparation, and judgment, and in many cases, they’re what truly make or break your interview.

How to Prepare Smart Questions To Ask In An Interview

I’ve conducted countless interviews where we’ve asked the candidate, “Do you have any questions for us?" and they simply say, “None!” Or, they ask only about the company’s culture. If the only question is about culture, that may suggest the candidate hasn’t done their research. 

The common adage ‘this is as much an interview for you as it is for the employer’ is a good rule of thumb. Employers want to know what makes you curious and interested in their company, mission, services or products. 

So, what do you ask, and how many questions do you prepare?

The last candidate that my organization hired asked us eight questions. Now that’s certainly not the golden standard, but it goes to show that she came prepared and demonstrated a desire to learn. 

To start your research, make a list of your must-haves. These are the things that you need to have in order to be a successful employee. 

Ask yourself these questions as you prepare your list of interview questions: 

• What do you want to know that’s not in the job description? 
• What questions arose as you looked through the company’s services and products?
• What specifics do you want to know about the company culture that will help you be the best version of yourself?

If you’re finding it hard to think of questions, call a friend. Sometimes an outside perspective is exactly what you need to get the spark going.

Who To Pose Interview Questions To

Once you’ve made your master list of questions, organize your questions into two categories: Recruiter Questions and Hiring Manager or Hiring Committee Questions. 

Best Questions to Ask a Recruiter 

Let’s start with the recruiter interview. Since the recruiter call tends to be the most nerve-wracking, it's important to have the right questions ready.

For a recruiter call, pick 2 - 3 that focus on the job with an emphasis from your research. For example, I understand X company delivers this type of service/product. What have successful hires done well to contribute towards this delivery? 

Put yourself in the recruiter’s shoes: Their job is to find the right fit and they’re talking to hundreds of candidates. Your question and insights into the job need to set you apart.

The recruiter screening is your information-gathering phase. It gives you insights to fuel your conversation with the hiring manager, so the most successful candidates save a question to ask about the hiring manager themselves, like: What are the hiring manager’s top priorities for this role?

Best Questions to Ask a Hiring Manager or Hiring Committee

For your interview with the hiring manager, typically the second round, you want to show what makes you stand out. The secret differentiator is to incorporate your experiences into your questions.  For example:

I’ve worked on a project where I had to find consensus amongst diverging viewpoints to align on project priorities. From my reading of the job description, it seems like this is an important skill for this role. Can you tell me a little bit more about how your team collaborates on projects?

I highly recommend practicing your questions with a friend or mentor to help you refine your final delivery.

Questions You Should Never Ask In An Interview & What To Ask Instead 

Now that you’ve done your research, you may be wondering what questions are appropriate to ask, but first, let’s rule out the ones you should avoid asking:

• Asking about promotions in the first interview
• Asking basic questions clearly found in the job description
• Focusing on the negative aspects of the role too soon

After going through the above exercises, take your list and compare it to some of the example questions below. You will want to tailor these based on the specific context of the role. The more specific, the better. 

Instead of: What’s your leadership style?

Consider asking: How often do you connect with your direct reports and how do you expect them to communicate with you? 

Instead of: What does the first three months of the job look like?

Consider asking: Who are the stakeholders that I would collaborate with to make my first 90 days successful?

Instead of: Tell me about the company’s culture?

Consider Asking: What qualities and values define the mission and vision of the org? Or What are some qualities & characteristics that define your team?

Turning Great Interview Questions Into a Lasting Impression

Great questions communicate intentionality, preparedness, and initiative-- qualities every employer remembers. 

Maya Angelou’s famous line People will forget what you said…but never forget how you made them feel is a reminder that how you ask your questions matters as much as what you ask.  

Showing up with authenticity and care should help you deliver your questions with emotional impact. 

To sum up, three takeaways can make you memorable: research, organize, and be specific. And always find a friend to practice with!

If you’re looking for additional support, you can get matched with one of hundreds of qualified coaches in the IACC’s Coaching Directory.