Interview questions. The better they are, the more you know and the more you impress. 

But we’ve all been there, lost for words when asked if we have any questions about the job or the company. Not a great look, especially if you’re committing 40-hours a week of your time—and all you have to go off is a job description. 

So you need to prepare. But what questions to ask in a job interview? 

Well, to make sure you’re asking questions that strike gold, we’ve put together some absolute beauties that’ll make a good impression and ensure you come away with lots of useful information.

Questions About the Role

1. Can you describe a typical day or week in the job?

Start with the basics. Ask what a typical working day or week looks like to give you an idea of what you’ll be doing. Or if it’s a multi-skilled role, how they’ll expect you to split your time. 

Say, for example, the job description mentioned a mix of analysis and admin, you’ll want to know whether it will be a 50/50 split across the two, or whether you’ll be focussing on one more than the other. 

And don’t settle for the answer, ‘oh, every day is different. If they say this, ask what the previous month looked like for the person in your position. Doing so will stop you from walking into chaos — or a job where expectations aren’t defined.

2. What challenges do you expect the person in this position to face?

Unrealistic budgets, interdepartmental politics, a pain in the backside coworker, these are all things you can get at by asking what challenges you’ll face in the role. 

While we don’t advise only asking questions that lead to a sales pitch about yourself, if asking about challenges leads to an open conversation about how you’ve dealt with similar things in the past, go for it. It can benefit you and the employer and help reassure them that you’ll tackle these challenges without a blip.

Questions About the Company

3. How would you describe the culture here?

The last thing you want is to step foot into a toxic work culture that has more red flags than a Matador. Asking about the work culture and overall vibe is a great way to find out whether you’ll fit in — and whether the job description lives up to your expectations. 

After asking, you might find that the company is too corporate. Or, maybe you’ll discover there’s a lack of drive, ambition, and that ‘creative studio’ you were excited to work in is really just an office. 

Asking about the culture will give you an insight into the business’ priorities, work-life balance, employee benefits etc. And it leads nicely onto number five.

4. What do you like about working here?

This is one of our favourites. You’ll want to pay attention to how the interviewer answers this question, as it’ll give you an indication of what it’s like to work for said company. 

Someone who genuinely likes their job and the company they work for should be able to reel off a handful of things they enjoy, even when put on the spot. So, if there’s a long pause and they can’t find an answer, or they joke and say, ‘the paycheck’, run a mile. But not before you’ve asked this next one.

5. What are the opportunities like within the company? Is there a chance to progress? 

Knowing whether you have a future with a company early on can only be a good thing. Because the last thing you want is to accept the job and find out you will be working in the same role for as long as you are on the books.

Asking about your future shows you’re passionate about your career, too. And that you see a long-term relationship with the company, which will please the interviewer.

6. How can I impress in the first three months?

Most jobs have a three-month probationary period, in which it’s your chance to shine. Knowing what they expect from you will help you kick on and smash through this period. 

More than anything, though, it shows you’re eager to impress. Plus, if you get through the probationary period having met the targets they set, it shows that you can do the job.

Questions About the Next Steps

7. What’s your timeline for the next steps?

This one’s pretty straightforward, but when the adrenaline’s pumping, it’s easy to forget to ask when you’ll hear a response. The wait can be agonising after a job interview, so knowing the company’s timeline will ease some of the worries that can settle in if you haven’t heard back after a week or two.

If you bet one Australian dollar that the job market would look like it does now, you’d be laughing it up on a yacht sipping a margarita right now.

So the pandemic flipped the job market on its head and inside out, leaving candidates at sea about how best to bag the job of their dreams, but don’t worry. Because we’ve got the best job search strategies that will ensure you’re doing everything possible to help you secure the job of your dreams in 2022 and beyond.

1. Update your resume

Think of your resume like a shop window. It needs to impress. It needs to stop people in their tracks. And it needs to give employers/recruiters an overview of your career, skills and expertise. 

An unknown golden rule when sending a resume is to tweak it to the job you’re applying for, whether it’s highlighting specific skills or adding words or phrases that feature in the job description.

And don’t forget to add a little bit of creativity if you’re applying for a marketing or design role. Just because it’s a resume doesn’t mean it needs to sound like a robot, caked in jargon. Yes, keep it professional. But let it live a little, too.

2. LinkedIn, LinkedIn, LinkedIn

Speaking from personal experience, LinkedIn is the place to be if you’re on a job hunt. It’s a hot, thriving paradise for job seekers. Studies show that 80% of jobs are now fulfilled internally or through networking, and we’ll bet a fair few of those are on LinkedIn. 

A scroll-stoppingly good profile has the potential to bag you the job of your dreams, as cringy as that sounds. Unlike your CV, which is limited to a few hundred words, your LinkedIn profile is a chance to get your personality across. And unless you’re a deeply horrible person, this can work in your favour when it comes to applying for jobs and being headhunted.

3. Learn a New Skill

Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world”, which is something we agree with, not just in a work environment, but in life in general, too. 

Whether it’s attending a webinar or completing an online course, every little helps and the more training and educational pieces you have on your resume, the better — even if it’s the odd free course. (Psst, LinkedIn is great for these.)

4. Smile, You’re on Camera

Every person and their pet spider are using Zoom, whether for chatting to their pals or having weekly catch-ups with their manager. While we have the pandemic to thank for that, Zoom is here to stay, and with it, video interviews.

Being prepared for video interviews will set you in good stead for when the inevitable happens, and you get invited to attend or complete one. Familiarise yourself with the best practices, interview formats and software you’ll need to use.

5. Be Selective with Your Search

It’s easy to get roped into applying for jobs that don’t quite match what you’re looking for, especially if you’ve been unemployed for a while. But try not to. Broadening your search too wide will only halt your progress, as applying for jobs you’re not entirely passionate about will only lead to you cutting corners and therefore, rejections and time not-so-well spent.

Also, your passion (or lack thereof) for the role will come across in an interview. If you can’t speak freely, openly and honestly about your expertise and experience, this could be a red flag for the interviewer.

6. Check Out Company Websites

It’s a well-known fact that a lot of companies don’t advertise on job sites. Instead, they use their website and social channels. So if you have a company in mind that you’d love to work for, invest time in getting to know what makes them tick.