8 questions candidates must ask – Suruchi Maitra, VP-HR, UnitedLex

Suruchi Maitra, VP-HR, UnitedLex advises you on questions to ask at your next job interview! 

Interviews in today’s world are no longer the 3-member panel in a sterile board room environment where a candidate needs to put his best foot forward to secure a coveted position. To my mind, a good interview is a very meaningful conversation and an open assessment for a win-win situation. In today’s world where there is a war for talent, a good interview meeting should leave both parties clear about expectations from the role, what it will take to be successful in the organisation, understanding of the company culture and how it will add value to my skills and hence my career graph.

For any interview to yield positive results which does not necessarily mean “getting the job”, a candidate must prepare well. Some insight into what is known about the organisation is really a quick Google search away. This is not to really tell the interviewer that you did the research but it actually helps in taking a conversation forward for deeper insights.

Before deciding to take up a potential job opportunity, candidates must ask the following questions to the employer:

• What does the organisation stand for? What are its objectives/ goals? – This will help the candidate to understand if he/ she will be able to see his/ her role contributing to the overall company goal and whether he/ she will be able to build alignment. The conversation can also help understand the big milestones already hit and plans for the others.
• What is expected out of me? – It is very important to understand the core expectations from the job. It is always good to check on not only what you would be expected to do but also ask what success in the role would look like so that you know what the end goal is and whether you have the interest or capability to deliver that.
• What is the organisational culture like? – For you to spend a good part of your day in the office, it is very important to be familiar with the “way of life” in the company. Asking for examples around what is great about the company, what is it working on to further improve itself and other such related questions would help you understand if you would enjoy the journey.
• What are the opportunities to learn and grow? – This is further related to the culture and helps you understand about what are the extras you can contribute to or learn from for your own up skilling.
• A few questions on employee related policies would give insight into the orientation of the organisation and its culture. Examples could be around flexibility v/s rigid work timings, telecommuting v/s working in the office, rewards program and many others.
• A candidate can ask questions around Employee Value Proposition of the organisation – this will be helpful in know about the ways in the organisation cares about its employees; more so in a holistic manner that includes compensation and benefits philosophy, wellness for employees, the culture of the organisation, connect with the leaders etc.
• How and by whom will my performance be reviewed? Are there any specific criteria upon which I would be evaluated? – Candidates can also ask about the performance review process during the interview. This will help them align to the process better and in the first place, set expectations right. They can also ask about the frequency of the performance appraisal cycle.
• If I am being hired for a specific vertical and what are the plans around that particular vertical’s business growth? This can also be then linked to the role the candidate is being hired for. Asking about this may give the candidate a clear picture of where he/she would stand in the system and the subsequent role to be played.