Congratulations! You have now made it to the interview part of the hiring process. Your application, resume, or cover letter have impressed your prospective employer and hiring manager. Just receiving an interview for a position is a great achievement as many are not as lucky. But what are you going to say in your interview? How are you going to positively highlight yourself? Think of an interview as a conversation or a discussion. Many interviews are viewed as the first step into if you as a candidate will fit in with their company values, beliefs, teams, etc. In so, an interview is a two-way dialogue.

At the end of most every interview, your interviewer will ask you, “So do you have any questions for me?”. Asking any question is a good start, but one of the biggest mistakes that candidates make during an interview is not asking thought provoking and high-quality questions. Remember, although an interview is viewed as a discussion, you need to be memorable and ask stimulating questions. Your interviewer may be chatting with a few or maybe a dozen applicants. You must stand out.

Although every interview and interviewer style is different, below we have shared some of the best thought provoking questions for you as an interviewee.

“Why did you [the interviewer] decide to work at this company in your role?”

“What are the hiring managers looking for in a candidate for this role?”

“What are you most excited about in the company’s future?”

“What do you think your company can do better?”

“How would you define success at your company in this position?”

“Is there anything in my application or resume that would make you question my qualifications or skill set for this role?”

Now these are just a few of the many questions that you could ask at the end of your interview to stand out from the crowd. The best questions, however, are the ones that are specifically tailored towards the conversation you are having with the interviewer. You should gauge how the interview is going and be sure to remember talking points that your interviewer had told you. Reference them in your questions. Be memorable!