Never Miss These 4 Key Questions When Interviewing, Says Former Google Recruiter

When you're interviewing for a job, "asking great questions is such an underrated way to differentiate yourself from everyone else," says Nolan Church , previously a Google recruiter and now the CEO of a company providing salary data FairComp Great questions can help demonstrate why you excel as an outstanding employee.

But asking great questions It can also fulfill additional roles. Particularly, Church suggests posing questions aimed at achieving dual objectives: assessing your enthusiasm for the position and preparing you to excel from day one should you receive an offer and choose to accept the job.

Here are four questions Church recommends asking.

What should be the guiding principle of the company over the coming year?

A company's guiding light encapsulates its objectives and purpose.

According to him, this query helps determine if the interviewers themselves possess clear criteria for what is important. Are they certain about their goals, or are they merely striving towards an ambiguous concept of achievement? If it’s the latter, figuring out your priorities could be quite challenging.

This provides insight into how consistent the different interviewers are with their responses. As he puts it, “If everybody isn’t giving me the same answer here,” it’s a red flag. This indicates that your priorities might vary based on who you’re speaking to, making it extremely difficult to meet everyone’s expectations uniformly.

If the organization has a clear direction and everybody is on board, this question assists in determining whether you are truly enthusiastic about tackling the challenges related to achieving that vision. If not, perhaps the role may not be the best fit for you.

What characteristic do your best employees share?

This kind of question "gives you insight to what the company values," says Church.

You understand your own abilities and priorities as an employee. If one key characteristic of high achievers is their capacity to work swiftly, and you tend to like having additional time for tasks to make sure each aspect is perfect, perhaps this organization may not be ideal for you.

If, however, this is something you embody, it indicates that the company might indeed be suitable for you. By posing this question, you're also conveying to the interviewer your desire to understand what it takes to become an elite performer.

What’s the single aspect of the culture you appreciate the most?

Church points out that inquiries such as "What's the company culture like?" can be quite ambiguous. Such questions might not provide you with a clear understanding of the internal atmosphere.

However, if you inquire about the single aspect that people cherish the most, “you’ll receive a quite precise response,” he notes. “This precision can provide valuable insights.” Crucially, aligning yourself with what individuals express they adore regarding the organization might just indicate that it’s also somewhere you’d find fulfilling to work.

What issue would you like me to address within the first 30 days?

Ultimately, gaining a crystal-clear understanding of what's important in your daily routine can significantly prepare you for success.

Asking about the one problem You have the opportunity to address this right away, which will assist you in navigating your new position even before you officially start. By dedicating some time to think about various approaches to handle it, you'll ensure that "on day one, we hit the ground running," according to Church.

This provides insight into what they consider important for you as an employee. If these aspects do not appeal to you, you have the opportunity to evaluate whether you still wish to pursue the position.

Another advantage of using all these questions is that they facilitate asking follow-up queries easily. Should you not obtain the necessary details immediately, you have the chance to delve deeper for additional insights. In essence, “these questions provide an avenue to uncover intricate levels of detail and understand what’s truly happening within the organization,” according to Church.

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