For Successful Business Interviews, Prepare Your Follow-up Questions Carefully.

At the end of most business interviews, the interviewer will usually ask if you have any questions for them. Always answer yes to asking follow-up questions!

By asking follow-up questions, you show you are engaged and you care; you are sufficiently invested in landing the role to dig a little further. This is why it is so important you prepare thoughtful and engaging questions before entering the interview.

Regardless of where you are in the interview cycle, always go in with a minimum of 5 to 6 questions ready. Prioritize them in order. If you under-prepared, you may find your questions have already been answered in the general interview.  Avoid making up questions on the fly.

There is no perfect number of follow-up questions to ask, but—depending on where you are in the interview cycle—you should ask at least 2 or 3.

Aim for questions that rise above the obvious. Focus on aspects that demonstrate you are serious about the position and eager to be part of the culture and a member of one of the teams.

There are countless potential questions to ask; here is a sampling:

  • What are the unique challenges of this position?
  • What are the qualities needed for doing the job well and later advancing?
  • Who will I be reporting to, and are they all on the same team?
  • What type of employee generally succeeds in your company?
  • How is success evaluated?
  • What soft skills would be beneficial for this position?
  • What have past employees done to succeed in this position?
  • Is there any further information I can provide to help make a decision?