How Do Top Candidates Ask “Good” Questions In a 1st Interview?
Top Candidates consistently ask “good” questions in first interviews because they:
DO:
Research
Prepare
Demonstrate Credibility
DON’T:
Ask the Inappropriate
Discuss Money
1. Research
Top Candidates don’t waste hiring manager’s time with questions that 30 minutes of internet research
can answer. You’ll never be expected to understand everything about a company in a first interview –
that’s the whole point of the interview process – but the “corporate vitals” you should do your
absolute best to know before any conversation with a prospective employer include (but aren’t limited
to):
When was the company founded? Why?
Who was the company’s founder? Who is/are the current President / CEO?
What products and services does the company sell?
What are the company’s target industries? Who are some of the company’s customers?
Is the company public or private?
Approximately how many employees does the company have?
What are the company’s locations?
Does the company have a “careers” page on its website or job openings listed somewhere? If so, what positions are open?
Has the company done anything note/newsworthy recently?
What’s the company’s reputation?
The company’s website and a Google search should be sufficient to answer most of these. Additional
resources include online registries like Hoovers and ThomasNet, or social media including Facebook
and LinkedIn. If you can’t find an answer using those resources that in and of itself is conversation
worthy, and a good question to ask in a first interview.
This may seem like common sense but you’d be amazed at how many candidates don’t take the time
to answer these questions before they engage a prospective employer. Know them going in and you’ll
set yourself apart by demonstrating intelligence, independence, and enthusiasm.
2. Prepare
The 5 best preparation practices we’ve found for first interview questions include:
Top Candidates go into a first interview with questions written or printed out and in front of them so that regardless of computer malfunction they’re available during the conversation.
Top Candidates prepare their questions at least one day before the first interview, sleep on them, and make adjustments as needed.
Top Candidates prepare at least 12 questions for the first interview. Normally they don’t ask all 12, but they are over-prepared with discussion topics to reiterate their intelligence and enthusiasm.
Top Candidates ask “S.W.O.T.” questions in a first interview to demonstrate they’re interested in a career move, not just a job. These include “What are the company’s…
Strengths?”
Weaknesses?”
Opportunities?”
Threats?”
Top Candidates make their questions personal to the person interviewing them. Everyone’s favorite thing to talk about is themselves, but more importantly, personalizing a question opens a path to insights you may not have heard otherwise as well as developing rapport. In a first interview, Top Candidates ask questions that start with:
“What do you think are… ?”
“Why did you… ?”
“Why do you think… ?”
“When will you… ?”
“Where do you think… ?”
3. Demonstrating Credibility
A “good question” is one justified by your research. The order will change based on the question, but the “Good Question” elements are:
A piece of research assumed true.
What do you think about it?
A question about its potential effects.
Top Candidates keep them short but use them frequently to give their interviewers an immediate sense of enthusiasm and intelligence. For example:
“Questions”
How long have you guys been around?
What’s your best-selling product?
What challenges do you see yourself facing in the next year?
“Top Candidate Questions”
Your website says you were founded in 1987 but doesn’t really talk about why. Before we talk about where the company is headed, can you tell me more of the company’s history?
I know your company is a medical device maker, but your website says you work with the automotive and aerospace industries as well. Where is the company’s focus heading? Why?
Most manufacturers have had a rough go the past 5 years, and I saw online that your stock price has gone down give or take 30% since 2008. Has that affected morale? What is the company doing to turn that around?
4. Avoiding the Inappropriate
Whoever said “There’s no such thing as a bad question” probably interviewed terribly. While every question you have about a potential job opportunity is relevant and should be answered before you consider an offer, there are questions you should absolutely avoid in a first interview.
It’s critical in a first interview to demonstrate early and often that you’re interested in a career move, not a job. If you act like you can get a job anywhere but this would be a serious career move, you’ll make a potential employer feel like they need to pursue you. Conversely, if you ask questions that solely and exclusively have to do with making your life better you’ll send the opposite message.
Inappropriate questions for a first interview include, but are not limited to:
Are the hours flexible?
Can I work from home?
Where will I park?
Where will my desk/office be?
What are the health benefits like?
How much vacation will I get?
How many expenses will the company cover?
Does the company pay for travel upgrades?
How much vacation do I get?
What’s the company’s retirement / 401k plan like?
Do I have to wear a tie?
Do I get a computer? Laptop? Phone?
Does the company have free food/coffee?
5. Avoiding Discussing Money
Bringing up or discussing compensation in a first interview is so inappropriate it merits its own section. We’ve mentioned before how important it is to seem like you’re looking to make a career move, and discussing money in a first interview is the fastest way to show you’re only looking for a job.
If the topic of money comes up:
It should not have been you who brought it up.
You should repeat to the person interviewing you what you’re making today, including:
Your current base salary.
Your bonus potential.
Your W2 / 1099 total for last year.
Your expected W2 / 1099 for this year.
If your interviewer pushes, ask anything forward-looking like:
“What are you looking for?”
“What is your target compensation?”
“What would it take for us to get you?”
“What do you think you worth?”
Your answer should be:
“At this point, I’m just interested in exploring the opportunity. I’m sure if we get to the offer stage everyone will do what’s fair.”
Because if you throw out a number that’s too high they may pass immediately, and if you throw out a number that’s too low you cost us both money.
