There comes a time in every job interview when the inevitable silence will fall after the dreaded question: “Do you have any questions for us?” Financial modeling interviewees are nervous about this part of the interview. They are typically unsure what they should ask. Finding the right question can be difficult. Here are five questions that would be good to ask in any interview.
#1- Why is this job open? What happened to the person that was doing this job? — It is important to understand the scope of the job as well as why the opening exists. Was the person promoted within the company or was he fired? These pieces of information can tell you a lot about a job. If it is a new job, you can ask who has been performing those duties and why they feel they need to make these duties into its own position.
#2- Why do you like working here? – This is a good question to ask your interviewer. They are likely to bring their guard down a little and talk with you about the company. This is a great question to personalize the interview.
#3- What are the biggest issues that the personal you are hiring will need to tackle? – This can be a great way to get a feel for the job. The interviewer can define some job expectations as well as what management is hoping to see from a new hire.
#4- Who will I be reporting to and what are their expectations from this job? – Even if a company is a great company overall, understanding whom you will be directly working with and for is the most important aspect of the job. Anything you can find out about your direct supervisor will be helpful in understanding the job and how it will be for you should you be asked to fill the position.
#5 – What happens now? – This is the best closing question and is important to the interview. Ask the preferred way to follow-up the interview. Ask for the interviewer’s direct contact information so you can follow up with him or her specifically and when a good time to call would be for him or her. Doing this shows your interest in the job as well as your initiative in moving to the next step of the hiring process.