The Best Interview Questions to Ask

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Your best interview questions to ask should show a level of knowledge that goes deeper than what's on the surface. Anyone can ask generic questions, such as:

While there's nothing wrong with these questions -- and you'll need to ask some questions that are rather basic -- you'll want to incorporate more insightful questions as well. Questions like:

WHY DO PEOPLE JOIN THIS COMPANY? WHAT MAKES THIS COMPANY THE BEST PLACE TO WORK?

You've done your research, so you know why this company's attractive to you. But, hearing from people on the inside what makes this a great company and a great place to work should give you some additional insight into what the internal environment is like. If you detect that people are uncomfortable -- especially with the latter portion of the question -- you might want to think about whether this is the place for you.

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN 5 YEARS?

It's good to get a sense of where the hiring manager's career is going. After all, if he/she is not moving up, chances are you won't be moving up either. For some of us, this is not a show stopper. But, if you have significant upward mobility career aspirations, a boss that's looking like a "lifer" in this role may not be the best match for you.

TELL ME SOMETHING I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THIS COMPANY BEFORE COMING ON BOARD THAT MY RESEARCH HAS PROBABLY MISSED.

With this best interview question, you're looking for the inside scoop here. With so much information readily available to candidates, it's easy to assume that you know everything you need to know before you even show up for the interview.

The reality, however, is that you will never really know an organization before you start to work there. How many stories have you heard about people being surprised at what they found after they accepted an offer?

Companies have their best face on in the interview process. It will never get any better than this! This is actually a great question to ask at the peer level in the interview process. Your peers typically are not as invested in this hiring decision as the hiring manager and may be more inclined to give you the straight scoop about the inner workings of the organization.

DESCRIBE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WHO SUCCEED IN THIS ORGANIZATION.

This question should tell you something about the culture of the organization. Similar to question 19 above, but different, this question is looking for the types of people who do well here. Some thoughts that come to mind: smart, creative, entrepreneurial, risk takers, driven, collaborative, collegial, relationship builders, consensus builders...Compare what you're hearing to your own characteristics. Will this be a good fit for your personality?

TELL ME ABOUT THE WORKING STYLE OF THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM. IS THIS A TOP DOWN OR BOTTOM UP ORGANIZATION?

Your external research really won't answer this question, so you'll need to ask during the interview process, making this one of the best interview questions you can ask. You might know how long the senior team has been around, but you're unlikely to get a glimpse into how they work together until you ask. Are they fairly autonomous over their business units? Who really has the power in the organization? Does sales or operations drive the organization? In the planning process, who has the lead? Is senior management really interested in what the field sales force has to say? Try to get some insight into the organization's culture from this perspective. Again, you're really looking for fit with the kind of organization you like to work for.

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Keep in mind that your best interview questions are going to go beyond the basics. Make sure that you have questions prepared for every person you'll be meeting with. Good questions...good impression!