In a job interview, sometimes all it takes is one question to stand out from the crowd and make the recruiter want to call you back. Our experts offer you eight questions to ask the recruiter that can make a difference and help you land the job of your dreams. What are the shock questions to ask in a job interview? Shelookbook enlightens you.
What is the point of asking the recruiter questions during an interview?
Questions to ask in an interview, is there a real interest? If you have to prepare for the most common questions asked by the recruiter, the interview is the ideal time to talk about desire and mutual motivation. When a candidate asks questions, it is a sign to the recruiter of his curiosity and interest in the position offered. There are therefore few bad questions… Afterwards, there is an order to follow. If you start by asking the amount of the restaurant voucher, the company will tend to be suspicious.
Show genuine interest in the desired company
What are the company’s priority projects this year?
The first commandment was delivered by Hervé Bommelaer to score points with a recruiter: ask questions about the company’s activity. “To stand out, before the interview, you must review and know the news, culture, and DNA of the company”, insists this outplacement consultant author of the guide “Getting a new job”. You can make a list of the 10 things to know about the company.
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Is what is being said about your commitment to diversity accurate?
Taking an interest in the company’s values always pays off. Variant: “Are your actions in favor of gender equality still relevant?” “What actions are you taking to move towards a responsible company ?” With questions like these, no one doubts that you have not sent your application by chance.
Not only do you have a good grasp of the company’s current affairs, but you also reflect its values. “This shows that the company is well perceived by the candidate,” confirms Karine Doukhan, associate director of Robert Half Management Resources. And, let’s not forget, that HR managers are also looking for people who can convey the company’s culture.
Please note: if possible, “you must have a perfect command of the latest official news from the target company to be able to ask questions like: ‘the company has more and more private clients, what are the impacts on my future sales job?'”, confirms Mustafa Benkalfate, director of the coaching site Jobtimise.
Ask questions about the job description
Why did you choose my CV?
With this question to ask the recruiter, the idea is to move the cursor of the interview suggests Daniel Porot, consultant and author of the book “101 Trick Questions of the Job Interview”. “Rather than unfolding his career, the good candidate is the one who will make the recruiter talk. He is interested in your CV since you are there. So ask him for example what aspect of your profile interests him the most and thus develop the most relevant points to stand out from the others”.
What should I do for you to tell me in 6 months that I have succeeded?
We owe this question to Yves Maire du Poset. Author of the book “Succeed in your recruitment interview”, the President of the firm Piloter ma carrière invites his clients to ask technical and operational questions to better project themselves into the position. “The goal of recruitment is to help your interlocutor here and now. By asking them about their specific expectations and the outlines of the position, you are already demonstrating your involvement.” Suggested variations: “How will you judge that the position has been well handled?” or “What will be the frequency of my meetings with my N+1?”
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Can I ask in a job interview what benefits I will be entitled to?
The job interview is the moment when you can ask the recruiter about the different benefits set up in the company: teleworking, restaurant vouchers, gym, mutual insurance, holiday bonuses, exceptional bonuses, etc.
If he doesn’t do it himself, because the advantages are often selling points and help attract the best profiles, don’t hesitate to ask the recruiter. If you don’t dare, you can go and consult the opinions left by employees or ex-employees on the internet (Figaro Insiders for example). You will find a wealth of information there.
Our advice: wait until you are a little further along in the recruitment process before asking your interviewer about the various benefits in kind negotiated in the company. It would be frowned upon to go into this level of detail in the first quarter of an hour of the first job interview.
Position yourself for the long-term
How did the person who held this position before evolve?
For Hervé Bommelaer, asking for news of your predecessor when you are applying for a position is always relevant… as long as you make sure they are good. “A quick pre-investigation is necessary. If he left on bad terms, forget it. But if he was promoted, you can also ask a question like: “How is X enjoying his new position, etc.” This is another flattering way to show your interest in the job.”
Is there an internal development program within the company?
And because recruitment is sometimes a long and costly gamble for the HRD, Mustafa Benkalfate invites candidates to position themselves for the long term from the outset. “Questions related to career development such as “Should I train myself in new techniques as I go along?” allow the recruiter to assess the candidate’s involvement,” observes the coach.
Anticipate the rest of the recruitment process
Would you like to chat with my former manager?
Or, more simply, proactively, the question to ask the recruiter is: “Do you want references?” Why not anticipate a possible request from the recruiter, give a positive image of your career, and take control of the interview? “Don’t worry and prepare a short list that you can share on request,” recommends Jean-Yves Arrivé, head of coaching at Co’acting and author of the guide “The 50 Golden Rules of the Job Interview”.
When will we see each other again?
Finally, all that remains is to keep control of the recruitment process. “You don’t want to leave your interviewer without a deadline,” concludes Yves Maire du Poset. “You need to keep control of the interview until the end.” Project yourself into the next step with a final question like: “What’s next in the recruitment process?” Or better: “Can I call you back early next week?”
Once the interview is over, master the follow-ups to perfection, but without ever harassing the recruiter. How to follow up without harassing? Our article answers all your questions.