8 interviewee questions to ask during your job interview, post Covid-19
The world has changed in the past months, and maybe you and your job have too. Whether you’ve just graduated or are ready for a new challenge, there are a number of questions you can ask during your job interview that are more important now, since the start of the corona crisis. So, what interviewee questions to aks?
Over the past few months, we all had some time to reflect on our lives and our jobs; do I still like my job? Does my company have the same goals as I have? You may even want to steer you career into a completely different direction. You are certainly not alone in this. It is therefore important to have a well-constructed CV and ask the right questions once you are invited for an interview.
Interviewee questions to ask
The standard questions to ask in a job interview remain important, of course. However, to show that you are also thinking about the current way of working, consider some different questions to ask the job interviewer as well. This will give you a good idea of the company’s management style and culture.
1. What were your key learns from the COVID-19 crisis, both from a business and a leadership point of view?
No organisation on the planet will be left unchanged from the coronavirus pandemic, forcing many to reconfigure long-standing processes, find new ways of working, seek out new markets or even develop new products or services, all in record time. Mistakes will have inevitably been made along the way, but it’s how organisations and their leaders learn from those lessons, and crucially, take what they’ve learnt into the future that matters the most.
2. If I work from home or remotely, what support could I expect to receive?
This is perhaps the most important question of all, given the amount of remote working. Hays fully expects to see a permanent shift to more remote working where that is physically possible – giving employees the freedom to work from wherever they want to. But, this is relatively new territory for many organisations, so it’s important to understand what support you will be provided with, whether that be in the form of equipment, training or wellbeing programmes.
3. What is your management style when leading hybrid teams? Are there any best practices that you live bij?
Variations in employee circumstances, preferences or requirements within the same workforce could lead to the rise of hybrid teams, which are teams in which some members work in the one co-located workplace while others work remotely. So, each day at your workplace could look very different, with part of your team coming into the office on some days, and others staying at home.” This is new territory for many managers, and will bring new challenges, so it could be a good idea to understand how they plan to (or are already) leading their hybrid teams, and if they’ve learnt any lessons from the extended period of remote leadership they’ve likely encountered over the past few months.
4. How do you ensure the organisational culture is maintained when working in a hybrid way?
a new hybrid way of working – where some employees are in the office and some are working remotely – brings a whole new set of challenges when it comes to maintaining and building on an organisation’s culture. So, if you find it important to understand what steps the organisation is taking in this respect, than include this question in your list of ‘interviewee questions to ask’.
5. How does the company position itself in the face of future uncertainties?
Nobody can predict the future, not even companies. But they can arm themselves against bad times. If the open vacancy is your dream job, you want to hold it for as long as possible. So look for a company with a vision for the future, and a clear backup plan for times when the economy goes down.
6. What are the company's strategic priorities? And have these changed due to the crisis? How does this role support in achieving them?
If you realized during the corona crisis that you prefer a job with a clear purpose, this question certainly applies to you. It is important for you to understand what the organisation’s new strategic priorities are and how this role will contribute to achieving them.
7. How does your organisation live its organizational purpose? How does this role help deliver on it?
The past few months have changed people for good. It has forced us to re-evaluate what really matters to us, and what really matters to the world. It has forced us to question if we are spending our time on this planet in the best way possible, recognising that we are just visitors.” So, it’s likely that you’re feeling more inclined than ever to work for an organisation you feel your personal values are aligned to.
8. How does the company supports the lifelong learning of employees to ensure they are able to work in an adaptable and agile way in the future?
In recent months it has become clear that we all need to be flexible and agile. Meaning upskilling and professional development may have climbed up your priority list over the past couple of months. Then it’s crucial that you feel confident you are joining an organisation that genuinely supports its employees in upskilling, giving you the autonomy to guide your own personalised learning in a way that works for you. This question will give you insight into whether a company is open to new ways of working or not.
Asking good questions during your job interview will ensure you’re perceived as a genuinely interested, competent candidate. Important, too, is the need to actively listen to your interviewer throughout the interview – you don’t want to ask a question on a topic that’s already been covered.
Remember, the job interview is just as much about you analysing whether this is the right role and organisation for you as it is about the interviewer deciding whether you are the best candidate. So, use this as an opportunity to ask the most relevant, considered and topical questions you can, to ensure you’re making the right career decision.
Also have a look at our not so good interviewee questions to ask, or see how to attend a job interview through a video call.
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