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What are three informational interview questions should I ask?

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Christopher’s Answer

Ask him/her to describe their path to their current role. What did they do to prepare along the way to get into the role they are currently in?
What does your average day/week look like?
Who should I get to mentor me when I first start out?
What do you like the best about your job/industry?
What do you like least about your job/industry?
What skills do I need early on to get into this field?
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Anita’s Answer

I think it is always important to Consider what is important to you personally and professionally and ask questions that relate to these - for example

What are the company values - to ensure they are aligned with your own values

If corporate Social Responsibility is important to you - How does your company give back to the community

If professional Development is important - How does your company support Employee devlopment
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Angela’s Answer

I would ask:

  1. What is a typical day like for the position you are applying for
  2. Ask the interviewer what keeps them at the company; but first ask them how long they have been with the company. - If they answer negatively, run! If they answer positively, then ask;
  3. Are there opportunities for growth within the company. This shows the interviewer you are interested in being with the company for a while, and would be a person to seriously consider for the position.

Good Luck!
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Sirisha’s Answer

What's the office culture like?

What are the expectations for this role?

What's the work/life balance like?
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Robert’s Answer

Hi and I hope you are doing well! You should always do research on the company before interviewing and if you know who you will be interviewing with look them up on LinkedIn and do research on them. Questions I would ask:

What do you like about the company and what keeps you there?
Tell me more about the culture.
Can you walk thru a typical 'day in the life".
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Jacob’s Answer

1. What does a typical day to day look like for this job?
2. What will be the main expectations for this role?
3. How does your company give back to the community (goals)?
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William’s Answer

Hello Kiana,

One question that I always like to ask is, "How does your company/firm/etc. give back to the community?" or "Does your company/firm/etc. have community outreach activities?".

It not only helps you discover more about the potential employer's culture, but also shows that you care about giving back to whatever community you are apart of (if that is important to you).
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Nicolas’s Answer

1) Have people in this role before me seen promotion opportunities and what was the timeframe before a promotion became available?
2) What would a typical day in this role look like?
3) What are some things people in this role currently are doing to be successful?
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jill’s Answer

I think you have to think about what's important to you. Are you looking for flexibility? Work life balance? Training?

Who will thrive in your environment?
Who might not thrive?
What kind of training /support exists for new or junior employees?
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Heidi’s Answer

Hello - here are a few suggestions:

What does a typical day/week look like?
How does this position fit within the organization?
What skills and personal attributes are essential to success in this role?

Good luck!
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Tiffanie’s Answer

Hi Kiana! Great question.

I would ask these three questions:

What is the culture like at company X?
What does growth in a role like this look like?
What is the company tenure? (I sometimes ask, how long has the interviewer been with the company)
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DaShena’s Answer

What do you enjoy the most about the job? What do you like least about your job? What type of people do you prefer to work with?
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Ateeb’s Answer

1. What is the work culture like?
2. What does success look like?
3. What is does a typical day in this role involve?
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Grace’s Answer

Hi Kiana!

When prepping for an interview, I always suggest to students that you prepare questions for which you really are interested in hearing the answer. Ask the questions you want to ask, not the questions you think you SHOULD ask! It is always apparent to an interviewer when you are actually interested in the answer (rather than checking a box by asking the question).

If you're struggling to think of questions, try thinking in these general areas: mentorship structure, training opportunities, work-life balance, how they are using certain technologies.

Good luck!
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Alexa’s Answer

Some questions to ask the hiring manager can include:
1. What is your favorite memory while working at XYZ company?
2. How will I know if I am making an impact on XYZ company?
3. What does a typical day look like for my role?
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Cole’s Answer

First, I would advise you to consider your values. What are you looking for in a future career? What kind of work environment are you hoping to be in? The most important thing to remember when applying for jobs is that job interviews are also your chance to interview your employer to see if they are the right fit for you.

As an accountant for a large firm, many of the standard questions didn't work for me. It's hard to describe what a day-to-day is like because there is no standard day. It's also difficult to understand company culture through explanation. In my field, the job responsibilities are fairly standard across many firms. More important to me is the people and their philosophies about work, so some of my questions when going through the process were:

  • What development opportunities exist for the firm, and how does your firm invest in its employees' growth?
  • What are most employees' philosophies about work-life balance? Do staff like to do social activities together after work and are there any philanthropic causes the staff commit time to? (This is also an important question for you to consider. How separate do you want your work to be from your personal life?)
  • What is the company's structure for feedback?
  • Other big picture questions, like how your role fits into the client service model or the company's vision.

Cole recommends the following next steps:

Determine your values and needs from companies you will potentially work for.
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Beata’s Answer

Hi, an informational interview is your chance to really explore the company and potential role. It can be useful to use this opportunity to understand how the company/role aligns with your goals and values; for example, if you are interested in giving back to the community, does the company support local volunteer activities? In addition, it can be useful to find out more about how performance is assessed, how the company supports career mobility - meaning opportunities for advancement or opportunities to try something new (rotations), as well as how the company responds to various marketplace factors (for example, during the time of COVID, were they prepared to have their workforce work remote, or was this a huge undertaking?). I would recommend prepping for any informational interview as if it were a formal interview - do your research on the company, the person you will be speaking with and be prepared to share your own value proposition. Good luck!
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Justin’s Answer

What's the process like for me to order a book for learning/training?

I heard this question elsewhere but cannot remember the source. You might need to tailor this question to your profession, but the intent is that it shows how easy/difficult it might be to acquire something needed for the job. A question like this can reveal if a company has no/bad/good process, and whether they do/do not sweat the small things.
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Richard’s Answer

What the working environment is like

What the promotional structure looks like

What they value in employees.
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Qing’s Answer

Hi Kiana,
I would suggest you ask the questions you care the most. I don't think there's right or wrong questions. It's important to be authentic and ask the questions that matter to you as long as they're respectful and reasonable. Personally, I would ask questions about the company culture because company culture varies drastically, and it has a huge impact to your career satisfaction.
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Jahara’s Answer

I'd recommend asking questions that are important to you. For example, if growth and development are at the top of your list ask them what the promotional structure is like and how are career development plans made. If you're focused on giving back to the community, ask what their values are and what do they do for social responsibility and giving back to the community.
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Ginger’s Answer

Recruiters and hiring managers are hiring you for productivity. The best question and sometimes I will ask the same question in different ways. The question is, "What value add are you looking for on the first day of a new employee?" The interviewer's answer will provide you with important clues on their expectations and management style. Other informational questions that will help you decide if it is a good fit for you include, what types of research or training should you pursue to help you serve your customers best and, what is the most appreciated quality that will help you contribute to the needs of the organization .

Ginger recommends the following next steps:

Find someone to practice interviewing with so you are at ease during the actual interview.
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Joe’s Answer

The best way to think about the types of questions to ask in an informational interview is to focus on what you truly would like to learn. Try to avoid asking questions for the sake of knowing you are "supposed" to have questions in that type of setting. I tend to think the same approach applies for an informational interview as well as a situational interview. Focusing on how you would fit into the culture of the company and roles you could play or would be playing and how that matches you and your passions is the way to create your questions. Ultimately you want to walk away from the conversation having a great feel for the company or person you just met with and specifically why you want to be there or not.

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