Hiring Managers Reveal What Really Impresses Them In Job Interviews

There is a lot to think about when you prepare for your job interview. Michelle became a career counseling client after she had several interviews that never resulted in her getting the job. She explained, “It’s obvious to me that I must be doing something wrong during the interview, but I just don’t know what it is. Once again I thought I had done well, but the employer hired someone else. Can you help me understand what I could do differently next time so I’m the one who lands the job?”

You want to impress the employer and demonstrate you are the best candidate for the job. The way you answer the questions in a job interview matters a great deal. Your personal presentation will impact the prospective employer’s perception of you. What might you be like to work with? How would you be perceived when talking with customers and interacting with teammates?

Yet most people never think about this other key part, that hiring managers pay attention to. Jim is a top manager at AT&T and has hired dozens of people at various levels throughout his career. He shared this insight: “I judge candidates by the questions they ask. That’s what’s most revealing to me. I want someone focused on succeeding in the job and not just centered on how much money I will pay them.”

Why it impresses the employer

You want the employer to see you as a serious and viable candidate for the role. Hiring managers often say that an applicant misses an opportunity to impress them when they don’t ask thoughtful and insightful questions that will cast you in a different light than other candidates.

Asking well-researched questions shows you’ve done your homework about the company, the position, and the industry. It signals genuine interest and initiative and that you are already thinking about how you can contribute and succeed in the role. Your questions highlight what you care about — company culture, growth opportunities, leadership style, or the team’s working dynamics.

Twofold advantage to using this strategy

Asking the right questions allows you to determine if this job, company, work culture, and supervisor are a good fit for you. And you can get an answer to your million-dollar question: “Do I want to work here?”

You may have preconceived ideas that often prove to be inaccurate once you get into the interview and begin to ask your questions. Better to learn now that you don’t want this job, rather than three weeks after you’ve started. Pay close attention to the answers to better determine if this is the right boss and organization that you would like to work for every day.

Do your homework — network with friends to get some insider information about the job, manager, and corporate culture. Check out the latest news. Read the hiring manager’s profile on LinkedIn. Go to Glassdoor to see what people who work for this company have to say.

Get any red flags answered

You can’t always have prepared all your questions in advance, since they often arise during the interview. It’s better to ask these questions as soon as they come up, saying, “Could you explain that more fully?” or “Please elaborate.”

During the interview, the employer may bring up a subject or mention something that’s different than what you thought or varies from what was in the job description. This is the time to get more details.

For example, if they mentioned being short-staffed or someone is about to go on extended leave, inquire about how the boss manages that situation. Are current team members overworked? How are that person’s job duties being handed out? Try to get an accurate picture of whether you’ll be expected to work many extra hours because of this situation.

It’s important to get an answer regarding anything that made you think twice so you can decide for yourself with a clear understanding concerning this job.

Who To Ask What

Your questions to the hiring manager should be designed to details about the job and learn more about the organization’s work culture and environment. The HR person is unlikely to answer technical questions and job specifics since their responsibility is to screen and validate your experience and credentials. A recruiter likely possesses only a general idea of the job duties, so direct those questions to the hiring manager or decision maker.

Insightful questions to ask

• Describe your management style. (directed to the hiring manager)
• What things was the person who previously had this role good at? And what did the person do poorly?
• What three things would you want to see accomplished in the first six months to view me as being successful in this role?
• How would you describe the corporate culture and work-life balance here?
• What challenges might I encounter if I take on this position?
• What are your major concerns that need to be immediately addressed in this job?
• Can you share insight about the team I’ll be supervising? Are there any problems with those people I need to be aware of?
• If the job requires extensive training, ask for specific details about what that would entail.
• How does the company promote personal and professional growth?
• If it is a hybrid job: Can you explain more fully how this hybrid role is set up? What days are we expected to be at the office? Are there set hours for those days? When is the manager in the office?

Don’t miss out on your chance to impress the employer and get a clear idea of whether this is the right job for you.

This article was originally published in Forbes.