“The quality of your life is determined by the questions you ask.”…Anthony Robbins, author and motivational speaker
This quote is never more important than when it is applied to the interview process, particularly for students. In speaking with hiring managers across many industries, just about all of them agree that they are more impressed by insightful questions candidates ask them than the answers candidates provide to questions they’re asked. This doesn’t mean that it is not important to provide differentiating answers to interviewers’ questions because it most definitely is. Rather, it is to highlight the fact that often candidates do not realize the importance of the questions they ask interviewers and treat the questions as a formality at the end of the interview.
Asking questions is perhaps the best opportunity to distinguish yourself from other candidates. Your questions should show thoughtfulness, research, and some meaningful effort in order to make a strong positive impression. Don’t ask questions for which the answers can be found on the company website or annual reports; this shows you haven’t done your homework.
“Ask thoughtful questions” is common advice from school career services offices and career websites. They then go on to suggest mundane questions, such as:
- What is a typical day like?
- What do you like most/least about your job?
- What are the characteristics of successful candidates?
How thoughtful are these questions, really? They are so generic they are almost rhetorical, and they can apply to any interviewer or company. They require no effort on the part of the candidate to prepare because they can be found on countless websites.
On the other hand, I am sure many interviewers may find such questions thoughtful and perfectly fine, and many candidates have received job offers after asking these questions. By the same logic, people can also live long lives despite eating poorly and not exercising, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best choice either. In today’s competitive job market, “just good enough” will unlikely land you the job.
The question you need to ask yourself is, “How will the interviewer react to the questions I ask?” The ideal reactions you want to evoke from your interviewer are either, “Hmm, that was a really insightful question!” or “I never thought about it that way.” None of the questions above will elicit those responses.
Ask big picture questions instead of overly specific ones that may be difficult for anyone to answer (your goal is not to trip up the interviewer) and offer your own analysis for the interviewer’s opinion. Asking multiple, related questions shows that you have made an effort to think through some possibilities.
For example, mention a recent acquisition, divestiture, or merger at the company. Then ask whether it has had a positive or negative effect on the department or division for which you are interviewing. Offer your view on which groups are the beneficiaries and which may be facing staffing reductions. The answers to these questions depend on the merger’s purpose – strategic synergies or cost saving from economies of scale. Thoughtful questions and analysis will create a lasting impression with your interviewer!
Jerome Wong
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