Job interviews are pretty stressful, but it can be even worse leaving the room not knowing whether you made a good impression.
But fear not, a leadership and careers coach on TikTok has come to the rescue, outlining some top tier questions to ask at the end of the interview to make sure you give yourself the best chance of getting the role.
While they might appear simple enough, most people know the stress of the whole situation can have you gunning for the door at the soonest opportunity rather than picking their brains more about the role.
Louise Thompson, who goes by Leadwithlouise on the social media platform, broke down why these five questions are important and how they can ensure you leave a positive and lasting impression on your potential employers.
‘What does success look like?’
Louise explains this one is her ‘favorite’.
“If you’re interviewing for a senior role or a leadership position, what does success look like for me in this role? What does good look like? What does outstanding look like?,” she says.
This is pretty self-explanatory but ensures you and the employer are both on the same page about what is expected of you. It’s also a great opportunity to figure out whether this really is the role for you.
‘Is this a new role or am I replacing someone?’
Louise did note that the second question requires a little bit of tact to bring up but is crucial in establishing expectations.
She said: “Question number two can be quite revealing. You need to ask it in the right way. But basically you want to ask, if it hasn’t already been established, Is this a newly created role, or are you replacing somebody? Could you tell me a little bit more about what you’re looking for in their replacement?”
@leadwithlouise Dont forget that a job interview (particularly at a senior level) is a two way process and exchange. You want to make sure the role is the right fit for you, as well as them making sure you are the right fit for them! Here are 5 questions you can ask in your interview and why they’re important. #career #careercoach #careerconfidence #leadership #leadershipcoaching #careertiktoktips #leadershipdevelopment #careertiktok #coaching #getpromoted #corporatetiktok #leadershiptips #managertoleader #jobinterview #interviewtips
‘How is my performance measured?’
Louise again noted that question three is great for solidifying expectations and allows you to know ahead of taking the job how your line manager will be measuring your performance.
She continued: “Number three ensures that the interviewing panel knows you are focused on getting results and performing at your best. You’re going to ask, How is performance measured here? What does the performance review process look like? And again, what does success look like for me in this role?
“It’s another way of asking that question, but with a bit more detail. You want to go further, you can also then ask, talk to me about the first 90 to 100 days in this role.”
‘What is that number one thing you look for?’
The careers coach noted that this may have come up in the interview earlier but is a good point to hammer home, especially if your line manager is interviewing you.
She said: “Question four is the number one thing they are looking for in the successful candidate. It may or may not have come up earlier in the interview, but this is your chance to really nail them on this question, what’s the one thing above all else that you are looking for in your successful hire?”
‘What do you love about working here?’
The final question is a great way to end on a positive note, according to Louise, and will likely give you an opportunity to bond with the people interviewing you.
This certainly can’t hurt if they are going to be deciding whether you join the team or not.
She explained: “Number five, another revealing question, but it’s kind of wrapped up in a lovely, cozy, warm way of putting it, and it is simply to ask them, What do you love about working here? Tell me a little bit about the company from your perspective and what you enjoy about the culture.”
While asking these questions certainly doesn’t guarantee getting the job, it’s definitely worth considering, especially if it improves your odds of getting offered that all important contract.
