So often, employers are the ones who are in the driver’s seat during a job interview. You ask almost all of the questions and then add the obligatory, “Do you have any questions for me?” at the end of the interview. Thing is, more and more job candidates are asking questions of their own—and good ones at that. These are just three of the most common questions job candidates ask during interviews, and how to answer them.
Below are three common interview questions, and suggestions for how to answer them:
“How long does the average employee work here?”
When job interviewees ask this question, they’re typically looking to find out two things: 1) yes, the length of time people stay, and 2) if any potential red flags should be raised regarding the length of time, especially if it’s short.
Unless your company has a high turnover rate (in which case you might want to look at what your company could be doing wrong, such as not offering flexible work arrangements), you should let potential candidates know how long they can expect to work for your organization if hired.
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“How would you describe the culture here?”
Many of today’s job seekers aren’t just looking for a paycheck, but rather a purpose that comes with their job. They want to work for companies whose missions they believe in, whose philanthropic efforts mirror theirs, and where they will be valued for their contributions. By asking this question, they are looking to see if they would be a fit beyond the standard requirements of the job. They want to find a job that offers flexibility so they can have work-life balance and find a reward in their work that aligns with who they are as a person.
In answering this question, make sure to be as transparent as possible. After all, a candidate who looks great on paper might not be a fit for your company culture—a mistake that could cost your company thousands if you had to start the interview/hiring process all over again. And, realistically, you want to hire someone who is going to be happy working for your company and be a valued asset—all of which is possible if they mesh with the culture.
“Can you describe your ideal candidate?”
Some employers might feel a little hesitant to answer this interview question. They might think that the “right” candidate would already know how to answer this, and don’t want to provide the answer to them. But if you’re already in the interviewing stage of the process, alerting the job seeker to the type of candidate you’re looking for shouldn’t really be a big surprise. In fact, if it’s a job candidate you really like, helping them understand what you’re looking for might help them polish their answers, or give them some insight into what you’re looking for and help them provide specific examples of past work experience that could be good for your company.
And if the candidate isn’t a fit, offering insight into this question can help them realize that they might not be right for the job after all. So when you answer this question, point out the education level you’d like for the ideal candidate to have, the amount of experience they would need, and most importantly, the type of personality the person would need in order to thrive in the role. You might say something like, “We’re looking for a college grad with at least two to three years of experience in marketing for this role. And since this is a remote job, we would need someone who is a self-starter, doesn’t need to be micromanaged, and is also an excellent communicator.”
Answering job candidates’ questions during an interview is a benefit for both of you. It helps you both assess whether the person would be an ideal employee, blend in well with the company culture, and be an asset to your organization…or not.
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