Questions to ask in an interview based on what you value

I would make the argument that reflecting on what you value in a company might be the single most important thing you do in your job search. Here are a few of the most commonly valued aspects of a new role! What's important to you?

• Flexibility

• Social Environment

• Career Progression

• Opportunity for Raises

• Autonomy

Based on what you value, you can craft questions to ask during your interview process. Remember, interviewing is a two-way street, and it's important to ask questions to be sure the opportunity is a fit for you, too. Here are some questions you can start with:

Flexibility

Do you highly value flexibility in your job? Some questions can ask in your next interview to see what the culture of flexibility may be like could be:

• What general hours does your team work? (Listen for variation among team members to show that there's flexibility)

• Do you have teammates that work hybrid schedules?

• If a teammate has something like a doctor's appointment during the day, how do they handle that? (Watch for their reaction - do they think this is a crazy question because OF COURSE the person should just go to their appointment?)

• Flexibility is important to me in my work - what are ways the organization offers flexibility to their teammates?

Social Environment

When you're looking at a new opportunity, is social environment important to you? If so, try these questions in your interview!

• What's the balance of collaborative vs heads-down work?

• How does your team handle setbacks? (Listen for signs of the team coming together to support one another.)

• How does the team celebrate success? (Does it sound like they really celebrate each other? A social team is likely going to take any excuse to celebrate together!)

• Can I meet some of the team while I'm here? (Oftentimes, an interview is held in a board room and you might not meet teammates! First, if your interviewer doesn't naturally bring you to meet some of the team, this might tell you a bit about the social environment. But it never hurts to ask!)

• Bonus: beyond the interview, reach out to some of the team members on LinkedIn and ask if they'd be up for a 10-minute call. Get a sense of the environment from their perspective, too!

Career Progression

Is the ability to advance your career important to you when looking at a new job opportunity? If you said yes, try these questions in an interview!

• What's your career path looked like here?

• Tell me about the career path of a few of your team members.

• What's success look like for this role in a year? How about 3 years?

• How does the company support employees who are looking to grow their skills? How do you?

• What's the company's track record for promoting from within?

• Additionally, do some LinkedIn sleuthing! Check out profiles of other employees and past employees to see how their careers have grown (or not) within the company.

Pay/Opportunity for Raises

It's okay to admit that opportunity for raises is important to you when looking at a new job opportunity. This is very important if you are looking for a company to stay at for years! Here are some ways to talk about pay in an interview:

• When talking about what you're seeking compensation-wise, give a range, and share that you are considering full compensation including benefits and non-monetary benefits too.

• Once you're further in the interview process, you can ask something along the lines of, "I'm looking for a company that I will have a long tenure with, so I'm curious if you can tell me what the company's process is for compensation review, cost of living increases, and granting raises?"

• "Is there opportunity for bonus? Can you tell me what that process looks like?"

• "What's the company's track record for promoting from within?" This will help demonstrate opportunity for increase in pay that comes with a step up in title.

Autonomy

Is a sense of autonomy important to you in a new opportunity? Try these questions in an interview:

• How are the teammates' schedules managed? (Listen for indication that everyone has ability to manage their own schedule/workload.)

• What do typical work hours look like for the team? (Listen for variation and that teammates can determine when they are working.)

• Tell me about a time that one of your team members made a mistake. How did you handle it? (Does the manager indicate a culture focused on learning/acceptance of some mistakes?)

• Reach out to people who are on the team and ask if they're open to chat! Ask if they feel they have a sense of autonomy in their work! Do they feel empowered by their manager to take on decision-making responsibility?

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