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Questions to ask prospective employers in a job interview

Published

4 hours ago

September 24, 2024

Shuttterstock / ComicsansThere is often a point during job interviews where the candidate is asked if they have any questions to put to the employer.

This part of an interview can be overlooked during preparations — but asking the right questions can help a prospective employee decide if the role is a good fit for them, while showing the employer that the candidate genuinely wants a career in advice.

So, what are the best questions to ask?

I’d want to understand how a firm embraced technology to assist its clients and how it provided exceptional client service

Nobody wants to feel like the proverbial fish out of water in a new job, which is why understanding a company’s culture is so important.

When people talk about company culture, they are referring to things such as shared values, attitudes and behaviour that shape how a business operates.

“Company culture is becoming more important to candidates, with 45% of employees and business leaders ranking this as the most important factor when looking for a job,” says Equilibrium Financial Planning culture and recruitment manager Kelly Eyton-Jones.

By asking about trending topics — such as the Consumer Duty — candidates can show a genuine interest in the industry

She believes that asking questions around team dynamics and work-life balance can be helpful for job seekers in assessing whether the work environment aligns with their preferences and values.

Financial services recruiters often find that, when hires don’t work out, it is due to a misalignment of culture and values. These experts say asking questions up front, during the interview, can help to avoid this.

“Questions around ethics, continuous professional development, targets for report writing and the firm’s own plans for growth are always good areas to focus on,” says recruiter Fram Search’s director of financial services, Kelly Biggar.

Recruiter Exchange Street’s director, Andy Taylor, says candidates need to find out what it is really like to work at the company in question.

Ask things like, ‘What is the most important thing you would want me to achieve?’ You can then take a view on whether it’s achievable

“Asking, ‘What is the culture like here?’ is a weird question, so I’d break it down. Ask questions like, ‘What characteristics do people who do this job well seem to share?’” he says.

“One that’s a bit more challenging is, ‘What would the people in the team say it’s like to work here?’ That can draw the interviewer out to talk about any issues the firm has faced and what it is doing about it.”

Candidates will be able to ask more probing questions around culture if they have done a bit of digging beforehand.

“Do your research — and that shouldn’t stop at the company website,” says Succession Wealth recruitment manager Charlotte Turner.

“Look at employee and company content on LinkedIn and social media. Check out what awards the company has been nominated for or won, events they’ve been involved with, and really get a sense of what’s important within the company culture. Then ask questions related to those aspects you identify with.”

Enquiring about how the changes in the Consumer Duty have impacted the business shows they have undertaken thorough research

Another subject candidates may want to ask about is the firm’s compliance culture.

Karishma Galaiya, senior manager of investments at compliance consultant Thistle Initiatives, says showing an interest here demonstrates that the candidate understands the sector and the importance of delivering positive consumer outcomes.

“Enquiring about the organisation’s implementation of the Consumer Duty may also offer insight into how consumers are treated,” she says.

Training and development

We have all heard cautionary tales of people joining a firm but not progressing, or being given unrealistic targets. To avoid this at the start, commentators recommend asking questions about training and development during the job interview.

Eyton-Jones suggests finding out about the qualifications or exams that must be completed in the first year, or the types of client they may expect to work with.

“These questions not only help to manage candidates’ expectations but also provide them with valuable insights into their potential long-term work,” she says.

Questions around ethics, continuous professional development, targets for report writing and the firm’s own plans for growth are always good areas

For Taylor, tactful questions such as, ‘What will the first 12 months look like?’ and, ‘How will you train me?’ can determine whether a firm invests in developing its people.

“You can also ask things like, ‘How will you measure my performance?’ and, ‘What is the most important thing you would want me to achieve?’ You can then take a view on whether it’s achievable,” he says.

“If the business sounds great but expects you to do too much — well, nobody can do that.”

Industry trends and topics

Employers want to hire genuinely enthusiastic people — not someone who simply wants a job. So, anything that shows that a candidate has done their homework on the firm and the profession will go down well.

“By asking about current events and trending topics, candidates can demonstrate a genuine interest in the industry,” says Eyton-Jones.

Company culture is becoming more important to candidates, with 45% of employees and business leaders ranking this as the most important factor

“For instance, enquiring about how the changes in the Consumer Duty have impacted the business shows they have undertaken thorough research and have a sincere interest in the industry.”

Asking about a firm’s approach to technology is also a good idea.

“If I were starting out, I’d want to understand how a firm embraced technology to assist its clients and how it provided exceptional client service,” says Twenty7tec chief executive James Tucker.

“If a company is getting these things right, it’s very likely to be a great environment to learn in and develop a long career.”

This article featured in the September 2024 edition of Money Marketing.

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