Manan Ahuja Virtual interviews have always been used by companies for assessing candidates from another city or country or when an in-person interview is not possible or convenient. However, the global pandemic has resulted in the digitization of the interview process on a wider scale. Just as it has recruiters scrambling to modify the interview process to be more analytical through the screen, it also has candidates trying to assess the working conditions at the office better without visiting it.
So it is natural that candidates will have more follow-up questions than usual to help them understand how they are going to work and collaborate with the workplace. If the potential employee is going to be working remotely, they need to understand thoroughly how the company goes about implementing concerned rules and policies. Besides giving you a better idea of the workplace, it also leaves a good impression on the recruiters that you prepare yourself before diving into something. Such questions can be broadly categorized into two sections, as given below:
About The Company:
When you go to work for a company, it is important to know if the vision and dynamics of the company align with your own working style and goals. To know about that, you can ask questions like:
- What is the best way to describe the company culture?
- What are the core values of the company?
- How does the company help in the betterment of society?
Equally important is knowing where the company sees itself in the future and how it plans to accomplish those goals. It will help you understand if you fit in the larger design that the company has. Questions like the following help you get to know about this better:
- What are the goals of the company for the coming 5 years?
- Which goals of the previous 5 years have the company successfully achieved?
- What are the biggest roadblocks for the company and how does it plan to overcome them?
You can also do research on the latest news about the company and the industry it works in. By asking questions about this information, the recruiters will understand that you keep up with current affairs. It will be an indication of your awareness and eagerness in the field.
- How does the company plan to capture more of the market?
- How is the company adapting to the recent growth/decline in the market?
- What led to the latest major decision of the CEO?
Another very important subject to broach is the stand of the company on DE&I or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Especially in today’s age, a company that sticks to outdated, unjust norms is not one you want to be associated with. Ask your interviewers questions like:
- What are the DE&I policies of the company?
- How does it deal with DE&I issues and conflicts in the workplace?
- Does it provide DE&I training to its employees? If yes, then how frequently?
About Your Post:
While asking about the company as a whole helps you understand if you fit in there, asking questions about the position you might be filling helps you understand your own place in the company. You can ask questions like:
- What does a typical day in the life of an employee in this position look like?
- How does someone in this post contribute to the overall goals of the company?
- What do you consider as the most important skills needed to be an ideal candidate for this post?
You also need to be sure that you will get space and opportunities for personal growth and development in this post. To know how the company will assist you in your career development, the best questions to ask are:
- What are the potential career advancement routes that can be pursued from this post?
- What opportunities does the company provide in this respect?
- What must an employee do to proceed along a certain career path?
For you to successfully fit in with the company and especially the workplace, you need to get a better understanding of how the management works in the office. It will help you get a better idea of whether your personal working style conforms with the workplace dynamics in the company. Questions like the following help you make better sense of that:
- What is the typical management style at the workplace/company?
- What is the managerial hierarchy at the workplace and where does my position fit in it?
- On what basis are employees appraised?
You also need to know how the company manages its workforce. It is especially important to know how the company handles financial crises in terms of maintenance of the workforce. The following questions can help you make better sense of that:
- Is the workforce, especially your position, typically work-from-home, work-in-office, or follow a hybrid system?
- What resources does the company provide to employees for doing their jobs?
- What policy does the company follow in case of an economical slowdown or crisis? Does it cut down the workforce to a skeletal one, enforce pay cuts, or something else?
Concluding Lines
The questions above are only examples or model ones; a candidate is free to ask anything else they might have a query about. What a candidate should preferably also ask about, especially if they are looking at positions in multiple companies are questions like when they intend to fill the position, how else can the candidate convince the recruiters of their suitability, and whether they can follow up in case of additional queries. Recruiters love an engaging candidate and by being active during the interview, you increase your chances of being selected.
