14 interview questions from a workplace communications expert
Hello from the depths of interview land.
And throughout this process, I’ve had a surprising observation… I am being ghosted in the application and interview process. No rejections… just… no follow up. Both from applications I submitted and interviews I have had.
The applications don’t bother me as much as the recruiters or hiring managers going dark after I have spent time in an interview with them. And listen, I am completely empathetic to busy workloads. I get it. We are all strapped for time, we have a lot on our plates, and some things just fall to the wayside.
As a workplace communications expert I’m always thinking of ways communication could be improved in the workplace. And the interview process has a lot of opportunities to improve communication.
My goal with this blog post is to give YOU the job seeker the tools you need to be able to effectively communicate throughout the interview process. From questions to ask in interviews - to email templates to ask for an interview - to check in emails after an interview - to thank you emails.
14 questions to ask in an interview -
“What would success look like in this role?”
“If I started tomorrow, how could I make an immediate impact?”
“How would you describe your management style?”
“Can you pain a picture of what my day to day would look like in this role?”
“What type of backgrounds do you think would deem someone successful stepping into this kind of role?”
“What are the expectations of an employee in this role / on this team?”
“What would success look like in this role?”
“Why do you like working for abc company?”
“Can you describe the culture to me?”
“What do you like about you DEI initiatives and what do you think you could do better?
“What is the long term outlook for this role and how it fits into the business objectives and ROI goals?
"Tell me about a time you had to fight for what was right?"
"Tell me about a time something didn't work out (i.e. missed quota) and how you handled it"
"I have a good idea of what I can contribute to make this team/organization successful, I am curious how the team/org will support me in my success and career development”
+ Any questions that come up as you’re researching the company / role
Templates for reaching out to recruiters / hiring managers -
Hi xx, I just applied for the [abc role] you are hiring for. My goal is to chat more about how I could be an asset to your team if you think my candidacy warrants a further conversation.
Hey xx, I just applied for the [abc position] for the [abc team]. XX referred me for the position as I was [doing xyz] in my most recent role. Hope to chat more about how I could be an asset to your team.
Hi xx, I'm not sure if you're the person hiring for this role but I just applied for the [abc role]. If you are, my goal with this message is to chat more about how I could be an asset to your team if you think my candidacy warrants a further conversation.
Thank you email template -
Subject - Thank you for your time!
Body - “Hey xx,
Before the week gets away from me, thank you for your time and conversation yesterday!
It was really helpful to understand the culture of [abc company] and the expectations of the person who will be stepping into this role.
The biggest takeaway I wrote down was [abc] and I think I'll be able to contribute in [xyz way].
Thank you again!”
Template to check in on the status of your application -
“Hey xx,
I'm sure you are busy so I appreciate your time in advance. I'm wondering if you have an update on next steps or a potential timeline for this position?
I'm currently in two other interview processes but want to prioritize this one.
Thanks for your insight!”
Searching for a new job is not for the faint of heart. It requires patience – patience we don’t always have to give. It is filled with rejection after rejection. And it doesn’t always come with a lot of help.
I hope these questions and templates are helpful. And good luck out there!!
