Great questions to ask your future employer in interview

They always say ask questions during your interview to improve your chances of being picked for the role, and the main reason is it demonstrates you’re interested in working for the company and the role. There are of course the typical questions concerning rate of pay, hours of work and location, but to stand out from the crowd, your questions need to go beyond the ordinary. With asking questions, you’re creating a dialogue between yourself and the hiring manager, so you want to set a good impression.

You can ask your employer a range of questions that can show you’re interested, engaged and keen to join their team. Here we have a list of the top questions.

Where do you see me in the role in the future?

This is great as it turns the typical question of ‘where you see yourself in the future?’ on its head. This is a good question as it means you can further understand the progression opportunities in the role and where the career will take you. It clearly demonstrates you’re interested in working for the company in the long run. If you can use specifics about the role, this will further work in your favour, such as “working as a first line is something I want to do, but do you see myself working in second line in the next two years?”

What do you do to contribute to employee wellbeing?

This is an interesting question as it will further your understanding of the company culture, benefits and incentives. This can help you decide whether the culture is something you want to work in, as well as gain a deeper understanding of what makes the company tick. Some may say they do company outings every month, beers on Friday, or they provide a discount of gym membership. These can all help your understanding of the company.

What type of training do you provide?

Training and development, coupled with career opportunities, is something that often helps a graduate make their decision. Not all companies will provide a structured training program, while others will. Both are good as the first may allow you to work for yourself and learn as you go, while the other can add to your existing knowledge. Most graduate employers will provide training in some form.

Where do you want to see the company going in the next 5 years?

This question is aimed towards whether the company aims to expand into new markets, such as internationally, or diversify it’s offerings. Again, it shows you’re interested in the company and if you can throw in specifics about the company, it shows you have done you research - such as - “I see you currently work with automation, is the company considering going into machine learning in the future?”

Alongside good questions to ask, there are some you should avoid. During an interview you should come across as confident, but not arrogant or self-absorbed. You need to show you’ve have done your research about the company and role and have an interest in both. For this reason avoid questions such as:

• What do you do?
• Can I take these days off?
• Have I got the job?

IT Graduate Recruitment works with graduates to get them their dream job in IT and Technology. We will offer guidance and advice to graduates we put forward for roles, including the top tips for interview success.