5 Smart Questions to Ask Any Interviewer

Alex Woodward |
Alex is a Growth Marketing Manager at Snagajob, where she works with sales to help connect businesses with the right workers. Her first hourly job was as a barista at Caribou Coffee.

Here’s a hint, always say yes. Having a few questions up your sleeve to ask the interviewer is an easy trick that can take your interview from good to great. This will allow you to show you mean business and have done the proper research, in addition to setting yourself apart from other candidates.

Check out these simple, yet smart questions to ask your interviewer:

1) How do you help your team grow professionally?

Why this works: This indicates that if selected, you will work hard to succeed and are interested in growing with the company. For hourly workers, this is particularly important, as employers are struggling with high turnover and are looking for strong employees who will stick around.

2) If you were to hire me, what might I expect in a typical day?

Why this works: This question shows your interest in visualizing exactly what the role entails and that you would be a good fit. A frank conversation about position expectations and responsibilities will ensure not only that this is a job you want, but also one that you have the skills to be successful in. Confirming both you and your potential employer are on the same page will help guarantee a successful match and shows willingness to collaborate.

3) When your workers come to you with conflicts, how do you respond?

Why this works: Asking this question shows that you understand professionally dealing with conflict enables success – both for employees and for the company. It implies that you don't want anything to get in the way of you being successful in this position. Bonus: it gets the interviewer to reveal a bit about the company's culture and values without asking them directly.

4) What do you personally feel makes this a great place to work? Why do you like coming to work each day?

Why this works: Everyone likes to think they work in a great place. This question gives the interviewer a chance to talk about themselves and make the conversation more personal. It shows that you are genuinely interested in them, making you appear personable and friendly. It also shows that you are looking to truly connect with the company – an ideal trait to look for when making a hiring decision.

5) What's the one thing you're working to improve on within the business?

Why this works: This is a subtle way to not only get interviewers to reveal shortcomings that you should be aware of, but also to show that you have taken a real interest in the company and want to understand how it works before becoming an employee.

While there are some questions to avoid, asking two to three solid questions at the end of your interview can leave a lasting first impression.