Unique Interview Questions To Ask The Employer In An Interview

Topic – Unique interview questions to ask the employer | 2022-23

Yes, you heard it right. I know what you are thinking, isn’t it the other way around. For the most part, it’s true but at some point in the interview, your employer might ask ” Do you have any questions?”

This is a crucial part of the interview if you haven’t known before. So far, you have only answered the questions that they have asked. They have assessed you based on what you have said and nothing more.

But they don’t know everything about you, they don’t know what you are capable of because they didn’t ask the right questions and you can’t expect them to. Use this window of opportunity to show them that you are better than they think.

You need to disguise your skills and qualities in the questions and let them know that you care about the company and the job, you are a hard worker, loyal, and better than the rest of the candidates.

Here are some of the unique interview questions to ask the employer in an interview.

Unique interview questions to ask the employer in an interview

1. What are some skills and experiences that you expect from a person for this role?

By asking this question, you will get an insight into what type of skills that the recruiter is expecting for this position. Even if you don’t have the required skills, it shows them that you are willing to learn which is better than not knowing.

2. Under whose guidance will I be working?

This is just a formal question to ask. Get to know your supervisors, who should you be taking orders from, or even ask about the team that you could be working with. This shows the interviewer that you are a thoughtful person.

3. What kind of training programs do you offer to your employees?

Before you get into the job, it is important to know what kind of training programs the company offers. This might help you with the decision if you are looking for a job in the long term with more security. Moreover, it kinda shows the interviewer that you are serious about the job.

4. What kind of performance would you expect from a person for this role?

Hard work, extraordinary results, impressive whatever the answer may be, but what matters is the interviewer will know that you are not looking to just get paid but have the intention to give a good performance that will help the company’s growth.

5. Based on what merits and how often would you evaluate performance reviews?

You don’t want to get into a job without knowing how they evaluate the performance of employees. By asking this, you get a clear idea about the things they consider while evaluating things like attendance, creativity, teamwork, and completing projects on time. Write that down, assess yourself, put more effort into where you lack, and move up the ladder.

6. Are there any opportunities for career progression/promotion from this role?

Yes, I know, asking about promotion in an interview, you might say ” No, I’ll pass” but hear me out. Some interviewers like people who are confident and ambitious. This makes you stand out from the rest of the candidates.

Also, nobody wants a dead end. You just don’t wanna be stuck in the same role forever.

7. What are your company’s values?

This shows the interviewer that you respect the company’s values and ethics. In addition, you’ll get to know what the company’s priorities are, whether its behavior, results or both.

8. What are your company’s plans for the future?

By asking this, you will get an insight into the company’s plans for the future and its goals. You might even get heads up on future projects beforehand which will help you soon if you were able to land the job. Also, it gives an impression to the recruiter that you are here for the long term.

9. Can you tell me about the work environment inside the company?

Just a casual question about getting to know the working culture inside the company. After all the intense questions this might help calm things down and end the interview in a feel-good kind of way.

10. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?

A routine final question everyone asks the interviewer to clarify things. This gives an interviewer another chance to go through the questions that have been missed before or things that need more explanation.

Questions about job/role

Here are some more examples of unique interview questions to ask an employer in an interview about the job/role.

1. Can you explain to me what kind of projects will I be working on?
2. What are some soft skills required for this role?
3. How important is this role in your company’s development?
4. What are some of the mistakes that I avoid for this position?
5. Is this a new role? If not what made this position available for hire?
6. What are some of the challenges this position might face?
7. Can you explain a typical day for someone in this role at your company?
8. What made the previous employees fail in this position?
9. What made the previous employees succeed in this position?
10. What’s one thing you are hoping a new person will bring to the role?

Questions about the company

Here are some examples of good interview questions to ask the employer in an interview about the company

1. Who are your biggest competitors?
2. Where do you see the company in the next five years?
3. How is the company staying ahead of its competitors?
4. How does your company respond to staff conflicts?
5. Other than what it says on the paper, what’s the reason behind the foundation of this company?
6. How does your company address challenges in this field?
7. How fast is the company growing?

Questions about performance

Here are some example questions to ask in an interview about the performance and its evaluation process

1. How do you evaluate success for this role?
2. Are the performance reviews are done on a monthly or yearly basis?
3. Who does the performance reviews?
4. How can I impress you in the first 6 months?
5. Do you regularly address your employees when their performance is not good enough?

Questions about training and promotion

Here are some unique questions to ask the employer in an interview regarding the training and promotion opportunities in the company

1. Do I have to go through a training process after I get hired for this role?
2. Do you provide any additional training programs apart from the role?
3. How often do you promote people from this role?
4. What are some of the goals a person should reach in the company to deserve a promotion?
5. Where have successful employees previously in this position progressed?

Questions about the company’s culture

Here are some sample questions to ask the employer in an interview about the company’s culture

1. What’s the company’s culture like?
2. Are there any traditions in your company that I should know off?
3. Do you conduct any team events?
4. Can the team hang out outside the office?
5. Should I be working in a more independent or teamwork kind of way?

Questions to ask the interviewer

Here are some example questions to ask about the interviewer and his career

1. How long have you been working in the company?
2. What’s the one thing you like about the company?
3. Can you tell me about your career progression from the beginning?
4. How long did it take you to reach this position?

Final questions to ask

Here are some good questions that you should ask your employer at the end of the interview

1. What is the next step in the interview process?
2. Do you have any concerns about my qualifications, experiences, or skills?
3. When can I expect your answer for this position?
4. Do you have any final questions for me?

Tips for asking questions in an interview

Here are some tips to ask unique and good interview questions to an employer in an interview

• Keep your questions short
• Take a notebook and pen with you to write down important notes
• Be confident while you ask your questions
• Write down your questions before you enter the interview
• Ask questions that show that you are here for the long run
• Show that you care about the company and the job more than the money

Common mistakes to avoid

Here are some common mistakes to avoid when asking questions to the employer in an interview

• You should not ask “when can I start”
• Always avoid explanations to your questions
• Avoid yes or no questions
• Don’t ask personal questions
• Limit your questions to less than five. ( 3 is preferable)
• Be careful with the questions regarding your salary

Conclusion

I wish you learned some unique interview questions to ask an employer in an interview that can help you stand out from the rest. The questions may vary depending on the job or company. You can rephrase, change or ask new questions as you wish but make sure to not make some of the common mistakes that were mentioned before. I hope you ace the interview for your dream job.

Frequent FAQ’S

For more, refer Indeed’s article on unique interview questions to ask the employer