Some of the job interview questions from a hiring manager can sound like this:
1. Could you tell me about yourself and describe your background in brief?
2. How did you hear about this position?
3. What type of work environment do you prefer?
4. How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations?
5. Do you prefer working independently or in a team?
6. When you’re balancing multiple projects, how do you keep yourself organized?
7. What did you do in the last year to improve your knowledge?
8. What are your salary expectations?
9. Are you applying for other jobs?
10. From your resume it seems you took a gap-year. Would you like to tell us why that happened?
To make a winning impression, you’ll need to answer each question with poise and passion. But, practicing first really helps. Meticulous preparation will allow you to appear confident and in control, helping position you as the ideal candidate when the competition is tough.
An interview is an opportunity for an IT Hiring manager to sniff whether a position would be great for you or not!. So it’s vital to ask some questions of your own. What do you want to know about the role? The company? The department? The team? The person interviewing you may be your future boss, co-worker, or mid-afternoon coffee buddy?
To get you thinking, we’ve put together a list of key questions one can ask in an interview. You can always ask questions throughout the conversation. Some of the best questions you can ask are:
Make sure you have an understanding of what the day-to-day responsibilities of the job will be — both now and in the future. This will help you make an informed decision if and when that job offer comes.
What are the most immediate projects that need to be addressed?
Can you show me examples of projects I’d be working on?
How does this position contribute to the company overall?
What are the biggest challenges that someone in this position would face?
What sort of budget would I be working with?
Common questions to ask about how you will be evaluated:
Understanding how your potential new Software Manager will measure your success is key to understanding their managerial style as well as company or team priorities.
What are the most important things you’d like to see someone accomplish in the first 30, 60, and 90 days on the job?
What is the performance review process like here?
How often would I be formally reviewed?
What metrics or goals will my performance be evaluated against?
What are the performance expectations of this position over the first 12 months?
Creative questions to ask about workplace culture:
Does anyone at the company or on this team hangout outside the office?
Do you ever do joint events with other companies or departments?
What’s different about working here than anywhere else you’ve worked?
How has the company changed since you joined?
Can you tell me about the last company event you did together?
What’s your favorite office tradition?
What do you and the team usually do for lunch?
Smart questions to ask about the interviewer:
Asking these questions shows that you’re interested in your IT Interviewer as a person — and that’s a great way to build rapport with a future colleague.
Why did you come to this company?
What’s one challenge you occasionally or regularly face in your job?
How long have you been with the company?
Has your role changed since you’ve been here?
What’s your favorite part about working here?
Best questions to ask about the company:
A job isn’t just about your day-to-day to-do list. You’ll likely be happier with a Software Employer that shares similar values to yours and is headed in a direction you’re on board with.
What direction do you see this company heading in over the next few years?
What can you tell me about your new products or plans for growth?
What are the current goals that the company is focused on, and how does this team work to support hitting those goals?
What gets you most excited about the company’s future?
What are the company’s most important values?
Smart questions to ask about the team:
The Software people you work with day in and day out can really make or break your work life. Ask some questions to uncover whether it’s the right team for you.
Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?
Who will I work with most closely?
Who will I report to directly?
Can you tell me about my direct reports?
What are the team’s biggest strengths and challenges?
Best questions to ask about next steps:
Before you leave, make sure the interviewer has all the information they need and that you’re clear on what you can expect going forward.
What are the next steps in the interview process?
Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?
Can I answer any final questions for you?
Keeping some of these in mind will surely establish a good impression of you on the interviewer and also show that you are interested. So, the next time you attend an interview, don’t forget to go through some of these with the hiring manager.
(Author: Abirami Vellayappan is a curious cat and a social media writer at TechDoQuest, which is an IT Recruitment Company.)