Don’t Get Stumped During Your Job Interview

Dawn Career Institute

Top Five Questions to Help You Stand Out to Employers

You pursued a technical school education, obtained the necessary hands-on career training and sent out your resume to prospective employers. Interview requests are just around the corner, moving you one step closer to your career goals.

Your resume will help you secure job interviews, but it is also important to prepare yourself to deliver the best in-person impression during your introductions to potential employers. Interview preparations should include studying up on the company’s history and services, having professional attire ready for the meeting and planning ahead when asked – “So what questions do you have for us?”

Don’t let this question get you tongue-tied. Knowing what general questions to ask may lead to more in-depth questions and help you stand out to employers. Asking these questions will show your interest in the position and attention to detail.

Here are five questions to review to help prepare you for this next step in your career search.

What does success look like in this position, and how do you measure it?

Job descriptions don’t often focus on what ongoing day-to-day success looks like for the position. Asking for more information, such as what your direct manager’s specific expectations are, will show your interviewer that you are committed to excelling in the position. It is important to understanding how the company sees this role contributing to success and how they will measure your performance.

This question and how they answer it will help you determine what is expected of you in this role so you can be better prepared if you are offered the position.

Are there opportunities for professional growth?

Questions about growth within the company or educational opportunities to help with career advancement will show that you are interested in expanding your knowledge and skills to grow with the company. Company rules and procedures for tasks assigned to your role can change over time. Showing a desire to enhance your professional skills will support your long-term success in your chosen career.

What characteristics do you look for in an employee

This question can help you dive deeper into the company’s values. Employers want their employees to represent their values on a day-to-day basis. Use this question as an opportunity to reassure your interviewer that you have these characteristics by providing examples about your professional journey and how you successfully work with your team.

What do you enjoy most about working here?

While this is a personal question, it will allow you to engage with your interviewer and gain valuable insights on their experience. Don’t forget that interviews are a two-way street. While they are examining if you are a good fit, you are also figuring out if this is a good match for you and your career goals.

What are the next steps in the interview process?

Asking about the next steps in the process will show that you are interested in the position and confident that the interview went well. This will show your interviewer that you have self-confidence and that you are expecting to hear back from them. Additionally, this will help you figure out the company’s protocol for next steps and when to follow up with the interviewer.

How Dawn Career Institute Can Help

At Dawn Career Institute, our Career Services department is dedicated to helping students achieve their career goals by providing both professional development and hands-on job skills training needed to successfully enter the workforce upon graduation.

All of our career programs have professional development training built into the curriculum.

This comprehensive skills training includes: