Unique Interview Questions to Ask Employer [From Hiring Managers That Told Me They Were Impressed]

I’ve been through multiple interviews as a candidate where I asked the majority of the questions and was then passed on to the next step in the hiring process. I can remember one interviewer telling me that they didn’t have any more questions for me and that based on the questions I was asking, they knew I was a good fit for the job.

Now that may seem anecdotal, but as a recruiter working with hundreds of employers, I’ve also had many of them tell me that they were impressed and moving forward with candidates because of the questions they asked.

Many times, the questions you ask are more telling about you than the answers you give during an interview.

Yet, when preparing for a job interview, most candidates focus on selling their own qualifications and what they can offer an employer. But it is equally as important to ask unique questions to the interviewer.

Asking creative questions shows you’re engaged, and interested in the role, and can help you gain a better understanding of the company’s culture, the position, how the team works, the company’s future, and the expectations. Asking the wrong questions could end your candidacy for the job.

To help you prepare for your next job interview, here is a list of questions (38 smart questions) you can ask in almost any interview process for almost every job description. All of these have been asked by candidates I’ve recruited and hiring managers have responded favorably.

The Importance of Asking Unique Questions

Your questions often tell the interviewer more about you than the answers you give to their questions. Asking generic questions probably won’t help you uncover the truth you need to determine if the role is a good fit for you and it certainly won’t impress the interviewer. Instead of asking generic questions like, “what kind of training is provided,” ask the question like this, “who would be my primary business partners to ensure I have access to information and tools and ramp up quickly?” The first way implies that it’s someone else’s responsibility for your success; whereas, the second way shows how you will take responsibility to find the people and the information you need to be successful. The way you ask a question will convey who you are as a person and the quality of the candidate you are or are not.

Here are some tips to keep in mind as you use the questions below.

Build on your conversation

You want the interview to flow well, like a conversation. Be curious and ask follow-up questions based on the current topic whenever possible. Some interviews are very structured and may ask you to hold your questions until the end, but try to insert questions casually when possible. For example, if you were discussing how you identify and correct poor performance within your team, you may turn it around and ask (after you have answered the question of course) “What have other successful managers found to work best to correct lower performers?” By doing this, the conversation will flow naturally and you’ll hopefully obtain information about the other person’s thoughts on the topic.

Use the future tense

Try to help the interviewer visualize you in the role and adopt this mindset by using statements like, “How do you see us proceeding if this happened,” or, “I think if we did X, Y, and Z, within 5 months we could hit that goal ahead of schedule.” By making statements like this, you can use a psychological trick to help them hold an image of you working with them.

Related Article: How to Gauge the Success of Your Interview - Tenses

View Yourself as a Consultant

Don’t view the interview as a test which you must get the right answers or a performance where you have to impress the other person. Both mindsets usually backfire. Instead, treat the interview as a consultation. You are the consultant, the expert who can help the interviewer solve their problems.

In order to find out if you should do business with this employer, you need to figure out what challenges they are facing and what they believe they need to accomplish their goals. This mindset will help you ask unique questions that will leave a lasting impression.

Ask Questions to Qualify Yourself

Every coach and careers influencer talks about the importance of asking questions to find out if you want to work with these people at this company. Yes, do that. But also ask questions that help you determine if you’re the best qualified for the job. The last thing you want to do is sell yourself for a job and then find out 6 months later that you’re not able to meet the expectations they have.

The employer shouldn’t be the only one trying to determine if you’re qualified for the job. You should be too.

Get to the Point

One of my favorite communication coaches has a phrase, “And your question is?” She says that many people don’t get to their questions fast enough and lose the interest of the other person. She’s so right. Don’t drone on and on. Ask your question concisely.

Unique Questions to Ask About The Job

1. How would you envision what a typical day would look like for me in this role?

2. If you decided to hire me today, what is the most important thing you would want me to accomplish in my first 60 days?

3. Have other people held this role before or is it new?

4. How does this position fit into the company’s overall strategy?

5. What qualities have others had who were successful in this role before me?

6. What are the most pressing projects you would need me to take on?

7. What key performance indicators do you think would be important for me to track so I know I’m on track for success?

8. How does this position fit into the company’s overall strategy?

9. How long do you think it will be before I start (insert key task) on my own?

Unique Questions to Ask About The Team

1. What key skills are you hoping to gain from hiring someone like me that doesn’t currently exist on the team?

2. What does the department structure look like today?

3. Do you see any changes to the team’s main responsibilities in the next year?

4. Who would be my primary business partners to ensure I have access to information and tools and ramp up quickly?

5. What personalities currently exist on the team?

6. What are the team’s biggest assets and largest areas of opportunity?

7. What are the biggest challenges facing the department?

Unique Questions to Ask About Your Manager

1. How long have you been with the company?

2. When you interviewed, what made you decide to take the job here?

3. Do you have a regular review process or how do you like to give feedback?

4. How would you describe your management style? What kind of communication do you prefer?

Unique Questions to Ask About the Company

1. Does (marketing, HR, etc) have a seat at the executive table?

2. How does the company prioritize budget allocations to each department?

3. Can you tell me more about the customers we typically target?

4. Who do you see as our major competitors in this space?

5. What are the company’s growth plans for the next year to five years?

6. Is there a process to reevaluate goals and growth plans each year? How do we assess and determine those goals?

7. What do you see as the top 3 challenges to overcome to meet the company’s growth goals?

8. How has the company changed since you’ve been here?

Unique Questions About the Environment

1. Do you currently have any diversity and inclusion initiatives that are important to you?

2. What have found works best to encourage and support innovation and new ideas?

3. How are we handling conflict resolution within each department?

4. Is everyone in the office or are there hybrid and remote workers as well?

5. What do you and the team usually do for lunch?

6. What does the onboarding process typically look like?

Unique Questions to Ask to Close the Interview

1. How do I rank amongst my peers that you’ve already interviewed? Professional to professional, any feedback or advice.

2. What am I not asking you that I should?

3. What haven’t I addressed that would be helpful for you to make a decision? Are there any concerns or hesitations about me stepping into this role?

4. Where do we go from here? What’s next?

TLDR

• Asking smart questions in a job interview not only helps you gain valuable information but also shows the interviewer that you’re thoughtful and engaged.

• The way you ask questions matters. The words you choose indicate to others what you value and deem important.

• Asking questions like the ones above will help the other person feel comfortable and open up to you with more honest information.

• By asking unique questions you will be able to qualify yourself for the job, set yourself up for success, and avoid employers that may not fit your short-term and long-term career goals.

• If you want a job offer for your dream job, asking creative questions can help you uncover the truth about the job and company before you say yes.

Unique Interview Questions to Ask Employers Recommended Reading

The Problem With Your Interview Body Language

34 Smart HR Generalist Interview Questions

First-Time Supervisor Interview Questions and Answers

Signs You Will Get the Job After an Interview

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Cole Sperry has been a recruiter and resume writer since 2015, working with tens of thousands of job seekers, and hundreds of employers. Today Cole runs a botique advisory firm consulting with dozens of recruiting firms and is the Managing Editor at OptimCareers.com.