Candidates prepare for interviews in different ways, while some research the role, company and its values others choose to undertake mock interviews and other similar endeavors to prepare themselves for the interview. However, one area where most candidates and at times even the best ones shy away from lies in asking the right questions. When all goes well, and the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” Most candidates have questions related to pay packages, holidays, benefits and so on. While these questions are important, most candidates lose sight of the issues that may affect them daily to a very high degree. Here are questions that can be asked by candidates on an interview that may give them a better insight whether to take a new job or move on.

Although most businesses today boast about a work culture that is fun and professional that helps you grow, the reality is skewed at times. Asking this directly to an employer will help you understand if there is a difference between what they say and what is stated on the employer’s website. If there is a significant variance in what the interviewer explains and the description on the website, you must probe the interviewer a little further to understand if there is a culture clash. Good companies have a work culture that helps it employees grow and enables them to work better. If there is a gap in what the employees perceive and what the company states, it is a clear sign for you to stay away from the company.

This not only helps you understand the career path you may take, but also reinforces the fact that you are a ‘growth-minded’ professional and you are determined to work your way up the corporate ladder.

This question might take your interviewer by surprise, but it puts him/her in the frame of mind that you are worth being employed by the company and you have already begun your first day at work. Secondly, it helps you understand the day-to-day tasks related to the role for which you have applied and gives you a head start of what is expected of you at the workplace.

Pay close attention to this as this will tell you the experience the interviewer himself/herself has experienced as an employee. If the interviewer is new, less than a year or so, the likelihood of getting a detailed and experienced insight of the company may be low compared to the responses of an employee who has been with the company for more than a year.

This question can be reveal to you the vision and direction of the company, if not, atleast a vague picture of how well the interviewer is engaged with the organizations’s mission. If you are planning of remaining in the same role for a while, this question becomes an important one for you to weigh in your options.

While these questions may provide a rough guideline for candidates, additional questions must be prepared by the candidate based on the candidate’s aspirations such as career goals, expected tenure, matching cultural values as well as questions related to the nature of the industry and job role to which the candidate has applied.  While questions related to pay, compensation, benefits, leave and progression are good, additional questions related to growth, day-to-day tasks, interviewer’s personal history with the organization often reveal additional details of the company and the job role which is generally not described in the job description or the company website.