Want to learn more about your potential job – and impress at the same time? Read up on what questions you should ask in the interview to do just that. Set not all your focus on bookmaker online.
How to Get Prepared
Did you know that many job candidates can impress their future employer by not only answering job interview questions – but by bringing some of their own? When your job interview is coming up, there are basically several advantages to asking well-prepared questions:
- You don’t take a passive role in the interview but actively help to steer it.
- You find out how transparently a potential employer communicates with you and can better assess the communication culture in the company.
- You signal that you are prepared and interested.
- You can better assess what expectations your future employer has.
- You can actively eliminate uncertainties and open questions.
- You should definitely ask this one question.
- The following question can be particularly revealing in the job interview for you and also for your counterpart: “Why is the position vacant?”
This particular W-question gives you a chance to learn more about your future position, the specific tasks involved, and the expectations of the company and your superiors. It’s a legitimate question – although many applicants find it a bit intimidating to ask at first.
What Are Your Choices?
Answer Choice 1
You are to replace someone who has been terminated.
When you ask in the job interview why the position is open, the answer may be that your predecessor was terminated for inadequate job performance. At least, that’s the official reason for termination. That leaves room for several interpretations:
- Your predecessor couldn’t live up to his boss’s expectations.
It doesn’t always have to be the employee’s fault, but sometimes it can be due to an employer’s unrealistic expectations. Whether it’s unpaid overtime, excessive demands, or an exaggerated workload that’s more like the work of at least two people, find out what the company wants and whether it’s realistic.
- Your predecessor held a position that was particularly demanding
It is also possible that your predecessor lacked the skills for the position if it is an extremely demanding job. Such positions usually require experience and qualifications above and beyond the norm. The company is now looking for someone who has these qualifications.
Answer Choice 2:
You should be the first person for a brand new-position.
If your answer to the why question is that you’re being asked to fill a brand new position, there’s an advantage and a disadvantage.
- The advantage: you don’t have to compete with anyone because you don’t have a predecessor. This means that you have more room to set your own standards, and perhaps the margin for error is comparatively large.
- The downside: You don’t have the opportunity to get ideas or help from people who also hold your position. After all, you are supposed to become the first person to do the job. Now you should think carefully if you are ready for this position. It can be a challenge and, at the same time, a growth opportunity for you. You can prove yourself and your skills. But there’s also a chance you’ll be dealing with problems that require challenging, complex, and quick solutions.
Answer Choice 3
You’re asked to replace a high-performing employee.
You followed up and learned that your predecessor was high-performing but now holds a higher position or has voluntarily left the company for another job?
If you’re asked to be the replacement for a particularly high-performing employee, it’s certainly not a challenge you take lightly. But that’s no reason not to take the job: ask specifically what made your predecessor so special. What were their best accomplishments? What skills did the employer particularly value? And what is expected of you?
