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5 Smart Questions To Ask At Your Next Job Interview

5 Smart Questions To Ask At Your Next Job Interview
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What questions should a job candidate ask the interviewer? Raad Ahmed, CEO and founder of LawTrades.com answers.

There are obvious benefits related to being a strong listener during a job interview. However, candidates should also show a potential employer they engaged in the process and his or her professional future. Being an active listener not only signals to the interviewer you are invested in the interview but also a discerning job seeker. The following five questions can provide valuable information and signal to an employer your engagement.

  • Which strengths would be the most useful in this job? If the interviewer has not expressed this to you it is important to find out what are the skills you currently possess that will best serve you in the position. If the employer sees potential in you it is important to determine what that potential is. In some cases the interviewee and the interview may be on two different pages, which could indicate the job is not the right fit.

  • How is communication and collaboration conducted? This is a an excellent way to determine if the company has a dysfunctional work environment or the work culture is slightly askew when it comes to decision making and collaboration. If the interviewer indicates a strong collaborative environment, press them on the details and make sure the collaboration is not for show with a department head or manager ultimately overriding group decisions.

  • What do you see as the top priorities for the position - is it focused or more ad hoc? A focused and clearly delineated strategy is something you can tailor expectations toward. If these goals are murky or seem counter to how the company portrays itself this might be a warning sign.

  • Describe the corporate culture and the type of employees you consider a good fit for this company. You may not get a straight answer on the company culture since it may be portrayed in a flattering light; however, one way to dig deeper into this is to ask how you would fit into this culture and press for more specifics.

  • What is your vision for this team and its contribution to the organization? This ties into #3, as it is always important to ask how the cogs in an organization mesh together to achieve an overriding strategy.

    • This originally appeared on Quora - the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

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