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    9 Do’s and Don’ts of Asking Questions in Job Interviews

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    The path from unemployment to employment has several steps, and for most, the first step after application is the job interview. The primary function of the interview is to allow the hiring manager to interact with candidates in order to determine if their qualifications and experience are a fit for the job’s requirements, as well as how they might fit into or add to the company’s culture and values.
    However, the job interview has a secondary function, but equally important for job seekers – the chance to interview the interviewer. The questions job seekers choose to ask in the interview are of paramount importance for two reasons:

    They demonstrate candidates’ preparation for the interview and interest in the job and company.
    They balance the scales in candidates’ favor, allowing them to determine if the job and company are truly a good fit for them.

    As a job seeker, choosing the right interview questions should be part of your interview preparation. Though there are many articles and blogs listing questions that candidates should ask in interviews, choosing the right ones and tailoring them to the role, the employer and your individual needs will help set you apart from the competition. Let’s look at nine best practices for asking questions in job interviews.
    1. Ask About Job Duties and Expectations
    Hiring managers love inquisitive minds. They want to know you’re interested in the role beyond what you’ve been told and that you’re anxious to learn more. Prepare questions on what the role will involve and what will be expected of you.
    2. Ask About Learning and Growth Opportunities
    Employers don’t want to hire people who are satisfied working the same job for the rest of their careers. They want to hire employees who are interested in constantly learning, growing, and evolving. Show the interviewer that this is a priority by asking about training, continuing education, and mentoring opportunities.
    3. Ask About Company Culture and Values
    Asking a generic question about a company’s culture is predictable, but tailoring the question based on elements of the culture that the company is known for or that interest you shows you’re familiar with the employer brand. Every company has values that are ingrained in their culture and essential to their employees. By showing interest in them and how they align with your values, you show that you’re interested in more than just a paycheck.
    4. Ask About Success
    Finding out how the interviewer defines success, what makes others successful at the company, and what will define success in the role for which you’re interviewing demonstrates your interest in achieving the same.
    5. Ask Follow-Up Questions
    While preparing questions in advance is essential to a successful job interview, it’s also a good idea to ask questions based on topics that you just discussed with the hiring manager. By following up on these topics later in the interview, it shows you were astute enough to take note of specific details in the conversation, and inquisitive enough to want to know more.
    6. Don’t Ask Anything That’s Easy to Research
    By asking overly simplistic questions about the company that can be answered with a quick Google search, it shows you weren’t willing to do any advance research or put any thought into preparing your questions. The same goes for questions about the role that can be answered by reading the job description.
    7. Don’t Ask About Salary or Time Off
    It’s never a good idea to convey a “what can YOU do for ME” attitude in a job interview, and calling attention to salary, benefits, or time off does just that. Though you will make the ultimate decision as to whether or not to accept an offer, keep the focus on the job, the company, and how you can contribute to both until the interviewer broaches these subjects or after an offer is made.
    8. Don’t Ask Anything Predictable
    If a question is general enough to be asked by any candidate at any job interview for any company, it’s probably not a good question. Spend time preparing your questions to ensure they are unique to your situation; they make the interviewer think and show you did your homework.
    9. Don’t Ask Anything Controversial or Negative
    If the company or one of its leaders has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons, don’t call attention to it in the job interview. Though this may be a valid reason for rejecting a job offer, posing questions to the interviewer about scandalous news or controversial topics won’t work in your favor.
    How you respond to a hiring manager’s inevitable closing interview question, “Do you have any questions for me?” can make or break your chances of landing a job offer. In addition, it’s an often-underutilized opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of and interest in the job and company, gain an advantage over your competition, and determine whether or not it’s where you want to spend the next several years of your career. By preparing questions in advance tailored around subjects that employers use as determining hiring factors, you can control the direction of the interview and, as a result, the direction of your career.
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      in Talent Acquisition

      The 6 Core Values to Attract Applicants

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      It’s no secret that UK firms across multiple sectors are struggling to find the right candidates. There are many reasons for this, including long-term skills shortages, but something that firms can do to stand out from their hiring competition is understand what motivates candidates and make sure their recruitment messages communicate what candidates want to know. What was important to employees previously is less so to many now. Our recent (November 2021) Monster Survey found that support and care for employees is the number one criterion for choosing and remaining with an employer in the UK, and we believe that the pandemic is at least partly responsible for this focus.
      Our study shows a positive and caring working environment is more important to candidates than higher pay to UK jobseekers. Quality applicants are discerning, assessing each company according to six core values. Businesses that can show they care and provide a stimulating environment have a competitive advantage in the battle for top talent. Those who fail to act, or communicate effectively, are at risk.
      The pandemic has changed priorities and fundamentally altered our relationship to work, according to the Monster survey. A healthy pay packet may have been the priority in the past, but today, organizational values are now most important to employees of any age. An incredible 60% of employees want to know what a business stands for before applying for a role.
      The accelerating economic recovery has intensified recruitment urgency, and employers must act. Our research suggests that what you say to potential candidates, how you say it, and when will significantly impact your success at attracting and retaining talent.
      In the post-pandemic world, a larger pay packet isn’t enough. Companies must learn to communicate effectively and authentically, creating a positive employer brand for their business that employees can believe in.
      Six core values to attract applicants
      Our study ranked the six workplace values that candidates use to judge current and future employers. These are the questions applicants want answers to before they take the first step.
      As an employer, ask yourself, are you doing enough?

      Care. Is it clear you care for your employees as well as your customers? Do your benefits and workplace culture show that you support your workforce and go above and beyond to make sure you have a healthy and vibrant workplace?
      Interest. Do you offer a stimulating, interesting work environment matched with innovative employment policies and procedures? How does what you do add value to society?
      Social. Does your employment atmosphere promote teamwork and camaraderie? Do people collaborate on cross-departmental projects? Does the company host social events and family days?
      Economic. Economic values are more than just salary. Is your business financially secure? Is your pay competitive? Do your benefits offer value?
      Development. Do you invest in upskilling your employees, recognize their achievements, and provide opportunities for career enhancement? Are there clear paths to promotion?
      Application. Can candidates use their skills and knowledge to contribute to the company beyond their job description? Are employees encouraged to bring ideas in an open forum? Is innovation rewarded?

      These values apply across generations, with care being the most important factor for Gen-Z, Millennials, and Gen-X. Boomers, approaching the end of their careers, are understandably motivated by money, but care comes a close second.
      Working environment, employee experience, and employer engagement are critical factors for workers of all generations in deciding whether to apply for a new job – or stay where they are.
      Be vocal about values
      In a market with over a million open UK vacancies candidates have a wider choice of roles than ever before, it’s too late for employers to leave discussion of essential issues until selection starts. In today’s economy, candidates are in the driving seat.
      Applicants want to know the attitude of potential employers to these criteria before they will even consider working for them, but employers are failing. Many aren’t living up to the values and practices employees want to see and are unable (or unwilling) to communicate what they are doing authentically and effectively.
      Our study has demonstrated that the problem isn’t necessarily with the business but the employer brand.
      Your company’s actions must embody your values, and your employer brand must express them. Monster research has found that 69% of job candidates say they would not take a job with a company with a bad reputation – even if they were unemployed.
      Employers must positively promote their culture and values. Communicating with them must become a core part of the recruitment process and a strategic priority. Why? Because job seekers are consumers. Faced with several businesses saying the same thing, they’ll seek our brands with shared values.
      The survey results establish that authenticity is key. A strong employer brand needs to be more than virtue signaling. In a world where businesses and brands are increasingly keen to take an active social stance, just 42% of staff felt employers should share a public viewpoint on an issue, with 58% preferring a neutral approach. Polarising topics such as Brexit have caused significant societal friction, and it’s perhaps understandable that employees prefer businesses to remain silent.
      Your employer brand can humanize your company. Stripping out the corporate messages and communicating your core values will make the difference.
      Putting it into practice
      Monsters Chief Human Resources office, Claire Barnes summarizes the key issues, what employers can do, and what steps Monster has taken.
      “The Pandemic has, of course, been hugely stressful with much uncertainty for many people. People have had very different work experiences. From frontline workers who worked the whole way through to those furloughed for months at a time. Many being able to work from home and, of course, those who lost jobs due to redundancies or businesses closing. It’s no surprise that people’s experience, how work made them feel, is shaping their attitudes. It is a valid question for candidates to ask of a company “how did you support your employees during the pandemic?”
      One of the vital lessons we must learn from the pandemic is that we can’t assume we know our employees’ feelings. Instead, we must recognize a gap between what we, as leaders, believe and what we know.
      We’ve faced the same challenges in engaging existing employees and attracting the best talent at Monster. So we’re putting wellbeing at the center of our human resources strategy and approach. In practical terms, we’re offering employees the freedom and flexibility to work how they want. We’ve changed our benefits and policies to support the shift and focused on the importance of self-care for everyone.
      We’re a business and brand that lives its values, but we’re always searching for ways to improve what we do and how we do it. In the battle for the best talent, we’ve reviewed, refreshed, and refined our brand to appeal to jobseekers – and we recommend other companies should consider doing the same.
      By Rod McMillan, Marketing Manager, Monster UK
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