How to Ask Better Questions in Interviews

If you are reading job descriptions and thinking you aren't qualified (or the opposite, you've found your dream company) without even interviewing...

Then this post is for you. 👀

Y'all - you only determine if a company, role, or team is a fit for you during the interview process.

The vibes check doesn’t happen when reading the job description or when you’re browsing the company website.

The 2 biggest mistakes I see job seekers make are:
1. Disqualifying themselves too early from a job
2. Falling in love with the "idea" of a company or job too early.

Both of these are traps because job descriptions are a mediocre wish list.

Most often companies really wish you'd just apply so they can interview you.

So when you read a job description you think you're not 100% qualified for the role, apply anyway.

Self-rejection is real, so check yourself.

It could be one of the reasons you don't have enough opportunities in your job pipeline, and it's hurting your outcomes AF.

The truth is, you want to put yourself into the market a lot so you get more interviews and can evaluate more opportunities.

The real evaluation of a company happens during interviews when you ask them good questions.

The questions you ask in interviews can add or subtract from your candidacy, so prepare accordingly.

Here are my tips for asking better questions: 👇🏾

➡️ Prepare more questions than you'll actually ask.

A good rule is to prepare 5-6 questions per stakeholder, just in case some of your questions get answered during the conversation.

Don't get caught saying you don't have questions at the end of an interview.

No matter, you should always have questions to ask in interviews.

➡️ Ask only one question at a time.

Sometimes when we get nervous we blurt out multiple questions in a row.

It may sound normal to you as you're saying it, but it's very confusing to the listener because it's unclear which question to answer first.

Practice asking one question at a time so it's easier to get a clear response.

➡️ Avoid questions with 'yes' or 'no' answers.

Ask open-ended and specific questions to get more context on how the team and company operate.

Ideally, start your questions with "What" or "How."

The questions you ask will signal to the interviewer what you think about the opportunity and what's important to you in a new job.

➡️ Ask questions about multiple topics.

For example ask about the role, team, company, management style, culture, growth opportunities and anything else that is important to you.

If you don't ask you'll never know.

Sometimes candidates don't gather enough information during the interivew process and then feel like they don't know how to evaluate if the job is a good fit. No bueno.

➡️ Tailor your questions to the stakeholder and stage of the interview process.

The reason your questions may be bad could be because you are simply asking the wrong stakeholder at the wrong point in the process.

Don't waste your question on someone who doesn't actually know the information. Aka asking a recruiter about the KPIs of the role. Nein.

Timing and context matter when asking questions.

Strive to never hear this answer from an interviewer: “I don’t know.”

Bonus tip: Always always close your interviewer by asking if they have any hesitations about moving you to the next steps. Be a closer.

Just remember, interviewing is a two-way street.

Apply to more jobs, evaluate each opportunity during the interviews, and become a stand-out candidate by asking stellar questions.

That's the tea this week. Stay ready!