Why asking insightful questions is essential to stand out in an interview
Asking thoughtful questions shows that you are genuinely interested in the opportunity within the company. It indicates to the interviewer that you have spent time preparing and will likely bring a similar level of engagement and dedication if offered the role. The answers interviewers will give to these questions will help you determine team and company culture, day-to-day responsibilities and additional information you usually won’t find online. Insightful questions can enable you to clarify expectations on both sides and can be pivotal in helping you decide if this opportunity is for you or not. Questions that come off as broad and generic are a missed opportunity to gather helpful information to evaluate whether you align with the role.
Common mistakes people make when asking questions
The first common mistake people make is asking questions. They can find the answers by looking at the company's website or reading the job description. This can showcase a lack of initiative and preparation, resulting in a negative outlook for the interviewers. For example, candidates typically ask about company culture when you can understand that further by reading the company values and looking at other resources like Glassdoor. That can be seen as a missed opportunity to ask something insightful, i.e. I noticed one of your company values emphasises collaboration. What does that look like on this team from a day-to-day perspective?
The second common mistake candidates make is not asking any questions at all. This signals a lack of interest and preparation and showcases to the interviewer that you don't value the opportunity enough. This can be a huge deterrent to your application, as candidates are evaluated against each other and will most likely be picked over you for simply not asking any questions.
Conversely, the third common mistake is candidates asking too many questions. Overwhelming the interviewer with a list of questions can result in the interview running over time, making it harder for them to remember you and essential information needing to be adequately covered. Too many questions could result in the interview becoming an interrogation, as each question can dilute the impact of what you are asking and make it seem there needs to be more focus on a few essential items. This makes it harder for the interviewer to recall questions or explain your reasons for being a strong candidate.
How to leverage the insightful question formula
The insightful question formula is designed to take what you have researched online and allow the interviewer to fill in the gap of what you cannot find out through research. These questions help set the stage for your queries and can result in follow-up questions based on the interviewer's answers, which makes it more like a genuine conversation. It is essential to ask a couple of these questions to help you stand out, and after that, you can ask other questions that you are curious to learn about. Below are examples of how to improve typical questions candidates ask and structure them to be insightful.
Examples of what to ask:
General Question: What is the culture like at Company A?
Insightful question: I understand that diversity is part of the culture at Company A. Can you tell me a little bit more about how diversity plays an integral part in the success of this work culture?
General Question: What does the day-to-day look like in this opportunity?
Insightful question: I know that part of the day-to-day work involves creating dashboards and reports to analyse and understand trends to enable precise decision-making for future initiatives. Can you tell me more about the tools that are leveraged to help create these dashboards and reports?
General Question: How does Company A assist with employee development?
Insightful Question: Self-development is necessary. I know many employees have grown careers at Company A. Can you tell me more about your experience growing in this company and the growth opportunities offered?
Overall, asking insightful questions can showcase to the hiring manager that you are interested in the role and help you uncover information you usually cannot find online. Candidates often overlook the value of not asking insightful questions. They allow you to stand out and provide a clearer picture of whether or not the role aligns with you. A good rule of thumb is that interviewing is a two-way street where the candidate and interviewer determine fit with each other.