Questions you should ask the interview panel

In our effort to appear as the perfect potential employee, we train ourselves on answering the questions and forget to come up with questions of our own. Linda Mbabazi, a recruiting agent, says it is important for you to prepare questions to ask your potential employer.
“I have witnessed a number of promising candidates stammer and lose their cool when told to ask their own questions. We usually expect you to ask questions that show interest in the position you are interviewing for, management, and the company which shows that you are actually interested in the job,” Mbabazi explains.
Your questions should be smart, polite and should demonstrate your desire to succeed in that position and an inquisitiveness that shows you have done your homework about the company. These questions are basically supposed to help you learn more about the company, understand who succeeds there, understand management policy and the hiring strategy.

The right candidate
“Employers are not looking for someone to simply fill a vacant post, they want someone who will do extraordinary work and these questions make them see that you want the same thing too. You appear as someone who is focused and ambitious,” Mbabazi says.
Human resource manager Charity Kabasambu says it is okay to ask your interviewer to describe the qualities of person they are looking to fill that position, the tasks involved and productivity expectations.
She says that asking about career trajectory for the person in that position in that company shows that the person is interested in growing and advancing within the company.
“I have met many candidates who answer questions brilliantly but mess up by refusing to ask any follow up questions. The candidates who impress the most are those who seek to get as many answers as possible,” she adds.

The key question
Another question interviewers find impressive is asking about the biggest challenge the company is facing and how you can help them solve it. Keep in mind that you have something the company wants which is the reason why you were called in for the interview.
So, finding out that one thing they found attractive in your CV and making the most of it will help you increase chances of getting the job. This question will give the employer the opportunity to articulate how this position (and the person it it!) can offer the biggest impact. This question will help you learn how you how you can meet the company’s expectations.
Once this question has been answered you will have an opportunity to respond and even share some of your past experience that relates to what they said. This back and forth will develop into a rapport which will give your interviewers confidence that you are the perfect fit for the company.
Ask about what you really want to know. Imagine coming to work at this company every day what things will you need to make it a more productive experience? This is where the company culture comes in; what are the working hours like, what is the dress code? This is your chance to get it right.

Feedback
Lastly, it is only fair to ask when you will be hearing from. “Some interviewees do not want to appear as if they are desperate by asking this question and choose to suffer the anxiety of waiting when they could have easily been given an answer,” Mbabazi observes.
Knowing the specific timeline also gives you an opportunity to call back or email back in case the call or email does not come through at the agreed time.