Human Resources Blog - Spark Hire

Common Interview Questions Job Seekers Will Ask

Usually in the hiring and interviewing process, it’s the job seeker that’s sitting in the hot seat. You want to see if they have the “right stuff” to fill this open position you have. In order to find out, you ask a series of interview questions and grill the candidates on their skill set, qualifications and past work experience. For the hiring manager, this shouldn’t be very difficult- especially since you are doing it day in and day out. What about when the tables are turned though and the job seeker has the chance to ask you interview questions about the position and the company you work for?

Savvy job seekers will be full of questions that will force you to think about and analyze the position and company you are trying to sell. Of course, there will always be job seekers that will fail to step up to the plate and ask real questions in the job interview. But for the job seekers that do, you should be prepared to answer their interview questions confidently and adequately.

So what are some of the questions job seekers may ask that can stump you in the job interview? Take a look at a few of the best interview questions from job seekers and be ready to answer them in your own way.

What are things your organization has done recently to show it values its employees?
Since you know how important employee appreciation is, you shouldn’t be surprised if this question comes up in the job interview. Employees want to know that they are valued, as well as their work. How does your company do this? If you fail to answer the question, you may lose top candidates.

How will I be evaluated and how often?
Savvy job seekers will want to know if and how they will be held accountable for their work. Asking interview questions like this will help them evaluate what your company’s style is. If your company evaluates work in performance reviews every month or so, that may show the job seeker that your company is bent on productivity. This may not be the kind of work environment they want- or it may be right up their alley.

What is the company’s overall management style?
This is a job interview question that you should always answer honestly. If the overall management style is to micromanage, that may be a deal breaker for some job seekers. If you don’t tell them the truth up-front, they will find out soon after their start date and may jump ship. That will leave you with an open position to be filled once again. This is a waste of time and money. Being up-front in the job interview will increase the chances of you making a great hire.

Is there possibility of advancement in this position?
Some job seekers will be looking for a job, and others will be looking for a career. Job seekers ask questions like this in the job interview to try and see how their future with this company may look. If there is room for advancement and you are interviewing a motivated job seeker, they may be willing to give their all to succeed and move up.

Chances are you are prepared for most of the interview questions job seekers throw your way. Even still, you should think about the answers to some of these questions and be ready to give them if and when they come up in the job interview.

What are some interview questions you received from job seekers in the past that stumped you? Share them with us in the comments section below!

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Nicole Nicholson

Nicole is the Content Editor for Spark Hire and mainly writes for and edits the work for the Spark News blog. She graduated in 2010 with a BA in Journalism from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. She has a passion for writing, editing, and pretty much anything to do with content. In her free time she frequents the Chicago music scene and writes reviews on shows for her own personal blog. Connect with Nicole and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter

3 comments

  • I like the management style question. Micro managing has always driven me insane and whenever I have run into a manager like that in the past, I’ve always looked for the quickest way out.  I would stay with the company if at all possible but I would definitely jump ship if that was the only other option.

    • @Rick Biederer Couldn’t agree more, Rick! That management style question is a great one and if managers or employers don’t answer honestly, it could mean more work for them in the future.

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