One must realize that the interview isn’t the only thing to focus on but also the post-interview session which in most cases starts with the question by the Interviewer to the interviewee – “Do you have any questions?”

The moment must surely be anticipated for being well prepared in advance as it is the last chance of making amends (if required) and regaining the momentum (if lost earlier).

The questions surely shouldn’t be too desperate or obvious, rather, smart, thoughtful, rational, and productive which might make the interviewer think highly of you. In addition to questions related to your profile or the job altogether, there are questions that make you seem devoted to your work and must be emphasized upon. 

The nature of questions could be put in a broader range and might include questions regarding the work culture, working of hierarchy, the measure of performance, feedback-appraisal and transparency, the model of reinforcement, organizational values and ethics, competitors of the Organization, working of collaborations, and so on. Such questions are both intriguing and subtle, simultaneously prove you to be a thoughtful and responsible candidate. 

In reference to the work culture and organizational values, questions could be – 

How much do you value diversity amongst your employees?

Is there a set of organizational values and ethics that the organization abides by?

To what extent do you think is communication important for the organization’s healthy environment?

How does the hierarchy function in your organization?

Is the work culture more about independent functioning or collaborative output?

Do you conduct mentor-mentee interactive sessions to assure quality output?

How do you assure the physical and mental well-being of your employees?

Also, it is very important to be keen on the possible competitors of the organization. The questions could be –  

Whom do you consider your biggest competitor and why?

What kind of strategies do you put into use to deal with your competitors?

Is competition a ‘threat’ or ‘a means of growth’ for you?

Such questions allow you to space out for a while and let the interviewer fill in space. You should never make the interview all about yourself but it should be two-way communication. Also, expressing too much about oneself holds the potential of demeaning your own self as far as your calm and composure are concerned.

Asking questions from the interviewer is about placing the organization you’re willing to work with under scrutiny which is productive and a moment of self-appraisal for both, the one interviewing and the one being interviewed.

To establish cordial relations with the interviewer and project one’s keenness in the job, the following questions can be asked –

What are the greatest success stories of the organization?

What challenges have you seen people in this role/profile encounter?

What are your expectations from this job profile?

What are the prominent skills you look for in an employee?

Being considerate of the Hiring Manager is another pertinent aspect of a job interview. The hiring manager juggles with plenty of interviews each day during the ongoing recruitment process. Also, he/she is required to be patient, time-efficient, and vigilant which leaves us with the responsibility to sensitize the interviewer’s situation. Your first question for the hiring manager should be-

There are a few questions I wish to ask but I do not want to keep you from your obligations. How much time can you spare?

This gesture can have a much positive impact on the manager which promises to open up hiring possibilities. 

Another question which could be asked from the interviewer is – 

Are you glad you took this job?

To be sure about the nature of work your job profile demands, one must never hesitate to ask for the details. The questions could be – 

What kind of work will the job profile be offered, primarily?

What are the prospects of growth as an individual in this job?

Do you prefer an overtime culture in your organization?

What could the first 6 months of the job look like?

What model of reinforcement is prevalent in the organization?

To what extent do you value feedback-appraisal working?

Does this job involve traveling? 

(If yes)

Do you mind sharing the details?

One must neither hesitate nor gush with the questions but should be witty enough to put forth a right combination of questions while maintaining a wise choice of words. We must not forget that the organizations and companies are in constant search of proactive team members who are willing to take risks and bring something new to the table. The post-interview questioning session with the interviewer can prove to be advantageous in this regard. Therefore, we must indulge ourselves in the skill refinement process as per our needs and requirements as it is a continuous process.