Ask Good Questions

You’ll find this article about researching a company helpful before reading what follows

Everyone thinks about answering questions in a job interview but asking them can be just as important. Hiring managers often see so many people that they are interviewing you in automatic mode, engage them.

Asking an intelligent question, get them thinking, it will make you a memorable candidate.

Make it Natural

Like a good actor you want to speak organically while really having something prepared.

You will almost certainly be asked about challenges you have faced in your career. After answering, you might ask about a recent challenge the company faced and how they approached it. You’re engaging the interviewer’s full attention by making them think while also showing that you’ve done your due diligence.

Due Diligence
The detailed examination of a company

Be Specific

Industry specific questions are also a great option. Almost every industry will be affected by AI in the near to medium future.

Has the company’s strategy for the next five to ten years changed in any way in response to rapidly improving AI technologies?

You might also reference global politics if they could be affecting the industry.

Has the uncertainty concerning tariffs changed the company’s operating procedure?

Perhaps something related to one of the company’s competitors.

Did the company gain any insight from the recent success/ failure of a competitor?

Questions like these show an interest in the industry and that you are already thinking about challenges both the company and the industry might face in the future.

Any Questions for Us?

Almost every interview will conclude with you being asked if you have any questions. This a perfect opportunity to ask about what the company expects from an employee.

What are some things you look for in a successful candidate?

An even better question might be

If I were to get the job and we were doing a performance review in 6 months time what would you like to be saying?

This does two things it makes the hiring manager imagine you already have the job, a very subtle psychological trick that can work in your favour. Secondly it shows that you want to become a high performing employee and aren’t afraid to ask for advice in achieving this.

Experienced interviewers are suspicious of people who pretend to know it all, not being afraid to ask for advice is a strength, not a weakness.

You Know They Know

You might wonder if some of these hiring managers aren’t aware of these strategies and of course many of them are. This is not a bad thing, a job interview is always a performance as well as a task to be completed. By performing well you are showing your ability to get tasks done to a high standard, exactly what an employer is looking for in a employee.

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Preparing for the AI Revolution

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How to Research a Company