The goal of companies in conducting job interviews is getting to know more about you, your qualifications, and your skills. This helps them determine how suitable you are for the job and whether or not you will be a good fit for the company. However, all these can be found in your resume or CV. So why an interview?
An interview works more as a test of your interpersonal and communication skills. Your job interviewer pays close attention to how you speak, respond to questions, and communicate your thoughts. With this, it’s essential to present yourself professionally and authentically.
One of the most crucial parts of the interview is when you are asked any questions for the interviewer. Most candidates are unsure about what questions are okay to ask or if they should ask at all. However, this is an opportunity to know more about the job, the company, and whether or not this endeavor is suitable for you.
So do your preparation and know what you should be asking during your interview:
- How will you measure my success?
The industries of technology, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare are very distinct, with many companies adopting their processes and procedures to measure the productivity and success of their employees. Ask your interviewer what key metrics or performance indicators they look at to evaluate someone in your position. For example, a job in the IT department may contain many roles and responsibilities, but the company may only evaluate one or two of them to measure your performance.
Don’t be afraid to ask how you will be evaluated. This shows the company that you are focused on doing good work and want to know how you will serve as an asset in the position you are applying for.
2. Can you describe a typical day at work?
The technology, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare industries are diverse, and the jobs are concrete and particular. In addition, companies have their systems and procedures for accomplishing things, so you need to get familiar with how the company you’re applying to goes about their daily deliverables.
Depending on your position, find out what you will be doing on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis. Will you spend 90% of your time on the field and 10% doing admin work, or vice versa? Your goal is to get a clearer picture of how your career will be once you get hired.
3. What are your expectations from me in my first six months to one year?
Setting expectations is crucial in any career, including technology, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare. In alignment with the performance indicators you previously asked about, get an idea of what the company expects from you in the first six months to 1 year.
Technology, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare companies often undertake different projects and programs every so often. Ask your interviewer about the upcoming events or endeavors that you will witness when you get hired. This will help you draw information about key projects you may be looking to be involved in, as well as allow you to align your work and effort with the company’s timeline and expectations.
4. How would you describe the company culture?
Every workplace is different. And in the industries of technology, energy, telecommunications, and healthcare, you will be exposed to many individuals with their positions, skills, personalities, and communication styles. Therefore, it’s important that as early as your interview, you get an initial idea of what the company culture is like, how people interact, if the position is independent or micromanaged, etc.
5. What are the next steps?
Show your interviewer that you’re eager to move forward with the following steps by asking them how the process goes from here. This will also give you a timeline of the hiring process so you can get ahead of schedule and allocate your time wisely.