The first time I interviewed a candidate was almost 35 years ago. Can you imagine how many I’ve interviewed since then? Yes, thousands!

In that time, if I had to make a best guess at how many of them asked me (the interviewer) good questions, I’d say less than 5 percent.

Sad!

Think about it. You’re going to spend more time engaged in work and work-related activities than in any other activity you do including spending time with family and friends. Just based on this alone, you should ask more probing and substantive questions when interviewing.

Over the years, I’ve had people ask me what are the best questions to ask during an interview. Overall, I think the best ones are those which align with your work values. This helps to ensure the work, environment, and people will be a good fit for you.

However, if you don’t know your work values (PSA: I work with clients to help them find out what they are!), here are three AMAZING questions you can and should be asking regardless:

1. After my first (pick one ==> 180/365 days) in the role, what would I need to have accomplished in order to be deemed successful?
– This can help you ascertain exactly what your boss’s priorities are for the role, where your focus will need to be, and if it’s what you want to do.

2. If I were to get this job, what are the top 2-3 challenges I would face coming through the door?
– I don’t care how wonderful everything sounds, NO job opportunity is perfect. Why not find out where the ‘bodies are buried’ before you sign on the dotted line and minimize or even eliminate any buyer’s remorse?

3. Who makes the decisions about the work I focus on (day-to-day)?
– If you have a strong preference to NOT work for a micromanager, this is a great way to ask if your potential future boss is a micromanager without your question coming across offensively.

By taking time to think of and ask good, probing questions on this side of the offer table, you can greatly avoid regrets (or worse) once on the other side!

Until next time….