There’s more to an interview than asking generic questions – salary, holiday, benefits and packages are all things you need to know but they don’t help you get the position. By asking interesting and thought-provoking questions it shows you have really thought about the position and the company you are interviewing with.

By having a deeper interest in the role will show you might be the perfect candidate for the job.  Try asking some of these questions…

1. What are the most important goals the person in this role needs to accomplish in order to be considered?

Ask what would make a person successful in this role, doing this shows that you are already thinking ahead to your performance and what you would need to do to be the perfect fit.  It shows you are driven and are thinking about the inner workings of the company.

2. How will the skills you need be used in the job

When a hiring manager puts the skills together on a job description they are trying to figure out what the job really needs.  By asking what those skills are going to be used for shows you have thought about your skill set and how you’re going to put those skills into action. If they struggle to answer the questions they have probably not thought about the job description very well.  Don’t forget an interview is a two-way conversation – they’re qualifying you and you need to qualify them.

3. Why is this position open?

Asking why the position is open will enable you to get a better idea of who was in the role before you and why it’s open.  It may be a new role which means you can shape the role if you get it – or if it’s an existing role you should ask who you’ll be working with and who you will working under to get more information about the role.

4. What improvements can the new person in this role make on the last person in this role?

You always want to be better than the last person if you get the role so find out what you can do to be better.  Let the interviewer know you want to be better by asking them the question.  It shows initiative for improvement and planning.

5. How will my performance be measured?

You need to know how your performance is going to be measured so you know what to work towards.  By gauging how your performance will be measured it shows you are interested in achieving goals – shows you are performance-driven and motivated.

6. What's the manager’s vision for this department?

Asking about the vision of the company shows you are interested in its future and how you might fit into it.  It shows forward thinking and indicates you’re thinking about being in the role for a long time (something which every hiring manager wants).

7. What recent changes have you made in the company and are there any plans for change?

Again, finding out about the future and the overall plans of the business allows you to find out where you would fit in the business and where they can see you fitting into the business.

8. Is there an opportunity to progress or learn in the role?

This question shows you are thinking about staying with the company and where you want to be within the company.  By asking about growth and development it shows a willingness to grow within the company.

9. What made you choose to work in the industry?

Make it apparent that you’re really interested in the company and the individual who is interviewing you.  Find out as much as you can about the people you’ll be working with and show interest in their careers and how they got there.

10. Why did you join XXX?

This will give you a great insight into the person and their opinion of the company and opportunity as well as giving you an opportunity to learn more about them as a person