Sample Job Interview Questions to Ask

Are you interviewing someone and need to make sure you've asked all the right questions?

Or, are you going to an interview and need some questions to ask the employer?

Either way, this article is perfect for helping you find out which questions you should ask during an interview, whether you be the interviewer or interviewee.

Tell me something about yourself.

• This question is great when wanting to get a feel about the potential employee. If they have trouble talking about themselves, they may be less-skilled communicators or may not have prepared well for the interview. (Sometimes a bad answer to this question can also imply a humble attitude or nervousness.)

How do you deal with stress in the workplace?

• Their response to this question will indicate whether they have identified times at work when they were challenged with stress and how they approached it. If they do not give an example of a situation, ask for one.

Why are you interested in this position?

• Are they just looking for any job or was this job one of their favorites when searching through piles of newspaper or scrolling through webpages? This question will give you that answer.

Are you better at working on a team or individually?

• Remember that no answer to this question is the correct answer. The point of it is to prompt the potential employee to give you an idea about whether they can work in both environments and if they are comfortable answering the question.

What do you know about our company?

• See if your potential employee is diligent and did their research. If they mess up on the answer, they may have been in a rush or didn't have the time to go in-depth, but if they have no answer, you know that they must not care about the position too much.

What was your greatest job-related achievement?

• Find out what is important to your interviewee. Is it gratitude, accomplishment, perseverance, or something else entirely? Ask yourself if they would be happy in your work environment after hearing their answer.

If you got the job, how long are you planning to stay in this position?

• You want a dedicated employee that isn't planning on moving across the country in a couple of months, so be sure to get this question out of the way and find out if they will be a dedicated, valuable, and long-term employee.

Which of your previous jobs was your favorite and why?

• This question will tell you why they liked that last job. Was it the people, the position, the environment or something else entirely? Can you relate and will they like this job?

What question do you want me to ask you?

• This is the best question I have ever been asked in an interview and it is the reason I was accepted into my college. The interviewee must be dying to tell you something that just hasn't fit into the questions you've asked (by no fault to you). See what that is and let them share with you.

What are the hours?

• This is an easy question to get the ball rolling at an interview and will show that you can visualize yourself going to the job in the future. Be sure to follow up with "Great," to show your interest and approval.

What daily tasks would this position involve?

• You want to know what you are going to be doing each day, so ask them for this to make sure that you understand what the job really is, not just what they sold in the papers or online.

Is there a potential to move up in this company?

• I once worked for a great company, but had no chance of moving up the ranks because of its size. Be sure to get this answer in the interview and make the interviewer feel like they need to sell you on the position.

How is the staff morale here? Are people happy?

• Being happy is so important and often overlooked in a professional environment. If they don't answer this question confidently, you know that is a red flag.

When did you start working at the company?

• This question creates a bond between you and the interviewer and also shows you if the potential to move up in the company is actually obtainable. See if there is a lot of turnover if they say that they have only been there a short amount of time.

Do you have any doubts about my abilities that I can clear up with you before I go?

• This question shows that you care about the job and the employer and don't want to leave them with a bad taste in their mouth. (Be sure to nail the follow-up question!)