Yesterday I posted about, common questions for job seekers. Here are some questions that job seekers can ask to the interviewer to get good knowledge about the job profile and company culture they’ll be working in.

People sometimes mistake that suggestion, however, and think that probing questions about the company include “How much time will I get for lunch?” or “How many vacation days will I get per year?” While important to your choice in the long run, the answers to those questions will not get to the meat of the issue — whether the company is a good fit for you. Those types of questions also may give the interviewer a bad impression, so it’s best to save them until the point when you’re offered the job.

So what type of questions should you be asking? Here are a few:

What’s an average day like here? The question may prompt the interviewer to go into great detail about the day-to-day workings of the company, which is great information to have. But even if the answer is, “There’s no such thing as an average day here,” it’s useful information. If you like to know what you will be doing day in and day out and like the comfort of ritual, then you already have a hint that the environment might not be best for you.

How would you describe the culture here? The interviewer may answer that it’s pretty laid-back or it’s all business, or there’s a good mixture of gender and cultures. Of course, he may also lie through his teeth. But if you’re any good at reading people, even that might be valuable.

What qualities are you looking for in the person who fills this position? You’re looking for answers like “Someone who is good with details” or “Someone who can communicate technical issues to end-users,” etc. If the answer is “Someone who doesn’t mind doing without lunch on a regular basis or being on call every day of his life,” then you have some solid information on which to base your decision about the job. If the question prompts the answer, “Good hair and a winning smile,” get up and leave.

Final note: Don’t precede these questions with qualifiers. In other words, don’t say, “I’m a person who likes to be busy all the time. What’s an average day like here?” If you ask that way, you’re just giving the interviewer clues as to the answer you want to hear, which may not be the real truth. You want your questions to point to the company at which you’re interviewing and that don’t reflect on you or your personal opinions. That’s the best way to get objective answers.

Often job seekers have a tough time fielding some of the simplest questions that interviewers ask. As job seekers, your first reaction is to comprehend the question while simultaneously trying to understand what the interviewers concern might be. In other words, why is the interviewer asking you this question
Mentioned below are a couple of questions answer sets that will probably give you a new perspective on how to answer.

Question 1: Tell us about yourself

The best thing to do here is to give a brief introduction about yourself and then move on to provide the basic details about your previous positions and any significant achievements – don’t go into too much detail – just a brief overview.

Question 2: What is your long-term objective

By asking this one, the interviewer is probably asking you to make his or her job easy. In this case, you should ideally focus on your achievable objectives and what you are doing to reach those objectives . It is best if you illustrate what you are doing with instances . For example, if you intend to become the best copywriter in your agency, highlight those weekend classes in communicative English that you are taking to further your prospects.

Question 3: Are you a team player

Almost everyone answers in a positive to this question. But employers need examples to back up your answer. You will need to highlight cases like the time when you pitched in to complete some project at the nth hour when a fellow teammate called in sick. You will also need to focus on your openness to diversity of backgrounds. You should also let them understand that you always believe that the strength of the team is beyond that of the individual. And note that this question may be used as a lead in to questions around how you handle conflict within a team, so its best to be well-prepared for this one.

Question 4: Where do you see yourself in five years Stumped

Yes that is what most aspirants feel when they are asked to blurt out their future plans at such a short notice. A good answer here would be something along the lines of wanting to study and participate in training that will assist you in your job and aid in your chances of progressing within the company .

Question 5: Why do you want to work here

This is an opportunity for you to show the interviewer how enthusiastic you are about the job/ industry. Try to think of an answer that shows your interest in the job.

Question 6: Have you got any questions for us/ me

There is absolutely no doubt that you will be asked this towards the end of the interview. Make sure you do ask a question as this shows your seriousness and interest in the position. Maybe you could ask about how you will be trained for the position . Do not ask about salary or holidays though!

Question 7: What are your strengths and weaknesses

This is perhaps the most frequently asked questions. The ideal way to answer this one is to map your strengths and weaknesses to the job profile that you have applied for. For example, if you are applying for a job where accuracy is an important issue, one of your strengths could be that you have an eye for detail. When asked about your weakness, avoid negative answers and use this question to your advantage by actually turning a negative into a positive.

Question 8: Why did you leave you last job

When answering this question make sure you do not give a negative answer. For example, “I did not get along with my boss” or “I did not agree with the way the business was managed” – this will make you sound negative and will greatly reduce any chance you have of being offered the position. If possible, try to answer the question so it shows you are looking for career progression.