Prepare your approach in asking insightful questions about the organisation and the working life that you will enjoy. Remember that asking questions shows that you're serious about the position. It also gives you a chance to show how knowledgeable you are about the position, its daily routine and about the industry in general. Most importantly, it is an opportunity to highlight why you're the perfect candidate.
You need to ask the type of questions that will allow you to assess whether the culture of the company and the position are a good fit for you. You have to choose your questions carefully though, depending on who's doing the interviewing. A great question for a HR recruiter might be inappropriate for an executive. You also do not want to ask your potential boss about something that's best asked of a future colleague.
If there is a representative from the HR department present, it is best to ask them questions of a general nature about the company. If you want to know more detail about the position then you should ask the person who would best know the answer. Generally, if there are more than two interviewers, they will let the person respond who they, amongst themselves, believe knows the answer. If you expect them all to answer a particular question, make this known at the outset of the question and not when you have finished asking it.
Typically, there are four types of interviewers that are listed below, offering a brief outline of their respective roles and suitable questions that you could consider asking:
The HR Recruiter: The "Process" person
It's the HR recruiter's job to identify strong candidates and to guide them through the company's recruitment process. Think of the recruiter as the "process" person. They can give you an overview of the company and the department as a whole.
Some questions you could ask the recruiter are:
How would you best describe the culture of the company?
What types of employees tend to excel in this environment?
The Hiring Manager: Probably your future boss
The hiring manager is likely supervise you if you get the job. They're the most knowledgeable about the position and the requirements. You should direct specific questions about the job, its responsibilities and its challenges to them.
Some questions to ask the hiring manager:
What, in your view, are the most important skills for the job?
How would you describe your ideal candidate?
The Executive: The industry expert
Senior managers and executives are likely to be most knowledgeable about the latest happenings in their industry. Only if you'll be working closely with this executive should you can ask them specifics about the job. To them you should direct your questions focusing on the future of the company and the industry. Take this opportunity to show off your industry knowledge.
Some questions to ask a senior manager or executive:
How do you think this industry will change in the next five years?
What do you think gives this company an edge over its competitors?
What's the company's biggest challenge? How is it planning to meet that challenge?
The Colleague: Usually the straight-talker
Some interviews will also include a meeting with a potential colleague. This is the person who is most likely to "tell it how it is". A potential colleague may be most candid about the job, its challenges and the working environment. Don't expect any inside information or favours and don't ask for them.
Some questions you will want to ask a potential colleague are:
What's a typical day like in the department?
How would you describe the working environment at the company?
What's the most enjoyable part of your job? What's the most challenging part?