What are the Best and Worst Questions to Ask at Interview and Why?

Are you looking for a new job but have no idea what to ask your interviewer? Well, you’re in luck! We recently did a survey with some of Hertfordshire’s top employers to find out from our clients what the best and worst questions they have ever been asked in interviews.

Asking questions in an interview is a great opportunity to show off!  Let the employer know you have prepared for the interview in advance.  Asking clever, well thought out questions can make the difference between securing the job or not, so it’s well worth your time to do some planning!

What is the worst question you have ever been asked at an interview? 

“How quickly can I progress to a new role?”

Asking about progression in the wrong way can make an employer worry that you are not going to stick around for long. this can however be a great thing to ask in an interview, so don’tavoid the question altogether if progression matters to you, just think about how you phrase the question.

Great ways to ask include: “Is there room for development in this role?” or “What are the plans for the business in the next 5 years?”. This will help you understand if the role is right for you, whilst showing interest in the business as well as your own development. Asking about the company size and structure can help you talk about progression in a softer way. 

“Have I got the job?”

This one really divides opinion!

Depending on the position you are interviewing for there are various reasons why you shouldn’t ask this question. It is a risky strategy as it can appear direct or even pushy, and some employers won’t like this!

If you are looking for a softer approach while still showing that you are keen, try asking about timescales instead; ”when should I expect to hear back about this opportunity?”, The interviewer will see that you are excited about the role, without being put on the spot!

However, sometimes direct and pushy is good! In a Sales interview asking, “Have I got the job?” can be very positive. It will help you appear confident and  ready to close your sales pitch. When applying for a sales role, often NOT asking this question can do more harm than good!

Ultimately think about the role you are applying for when considering the best way to ask this question! 

“What are the working hours/ salary?”

Remember our initial point about questions adding value to your application, and showing an employer what you have to offer?  Well this one doesn’t really do that!  

It is likely that you would have this information in advance and the employer knows that!  If anything, this question could be a flag that you haven’t prepared or don’t retain information. 

There is an exception, and again that is when you are applying for sales roles!  it’s naturally expected to talk about earning potential in an interview for a sales role, particularly when bonuses or commission is involved. 

For most opportunities talking about money too early is a bad idea.  It can make it seem that money is your biggest motivator, and not the job itself. It could also damage your chances of negotiating for more pay in the future when the time is right.  Save the talk of money until the later stages! 

“No question at all”

And finally, the worst one of all – not asking a single question! Not even one!

This could have many consequences, none of them good!  The employer may think you haven’t given any thought to the interview in advance or worse are just not interested – surely if you really were interested in the role you would want to know at least something!

There is just no excuse for this, always ask SOMETHING!  If you are struggling to think of what to ask, then check out some of the example of the best questions to ask below.

What is the best question you have ever been asked at an interview? 

“Why do you continue to work for the company? What has made you stay?”

This could tell an employer that you have an interest in the person interviewing you. It can also help you understand the company culture and give you a great feel as to why you would want to work there.  

“What are your business plans for the next 5 years?”

This shows the employer that you are interested in what is ahead for the business in the long term not just for 6 months or a year. Staff retention is always important to a business, so this is a nice way to imply that you are in it for the long term.

“What will be the biggest challenge in my new role?”

This gets the interviewer thinking about what the potential setbacks are for you and you can get some feedback here too. It is also a chance to overcome any objections and can really work in your favour.

“If you offered me the job and you were me, would you take it and why?”

Here you can get your interviewers interpretation of the role and what they think about the company and what they do. Asking them to sell the company more and think about it from your perspective. 

Asking questions is so important in interviews. It shows the employer that you are really interested in the business and that you have done your research. For this reason, they should never be an afterthought, they should be ingrained into your preparation. If you have really researched the company lots of questions will come to you. These are usually the best ones as they are most involved.

Once you have all of your questions, write them down and bring them into your interview! This shows them that you are well prepared and prevent any awkward silences at the end. You can also relax and enjoy the rest of the interview without worrying about remembering the killer questions that you have worked so hard on!