This month’s T-SQL Tuesday caught my eye & started me thinking about my favourite question from the candidate’s perspective. (Note: I really don’t like the term interviewee in this context because as far as I’m concerned both parties are interviewing each other.)
My favourite job interview question is a straightforward one that can be asked in any type of interview (informal, formal, technical, etc) but in my experience is usually best asked of the hiring manager in the first instance.
What challenges does your team face?
I say this is a good one to ask the hiring manager because it can help you to:
- understand the workplace situation you’d be stepping into if you were offered & took the job.
For example, is the team struggling with reduced resources or significant technical debt?
Are the stakeholders’ expectations unrealistic?
What impacts are they feeling now & what might they be feeling in a year or so’s time? - determine if you can trust the person who’ll potentially be managing you.
Is their answer that the team faces no challenges? (Highly unlikely!)
Do they fail to mention issues that you’ve identified through your own research into the company, or are they honest about the problems they face now & in the future?
Ultimately, their answer to you as a candidate will help you to determine if you could trust them as your manager.
As well as asking the hiring manager this question, I also find it’s a good one to ask people outwith the team if you get the chance to interview with them. This can include subject matter experts & stakeholders who you may end up working with closely if you take the job. The expectations of the wider business may differ wildly from those of the immediate team’s & while that’s not necessarily a red flag, it’s useful to be aware of any discrepancies. If they’re big discrepancies, it can also be useful to discuss them with the hiring manager or team to determine how they’ve come about. e.g. Is there a communication or user education issue? Does it suggest that the job description may not tell the whole story?
Follow-up questions that I find useful if you want further detail:
- Outwith your immediate team, what challenges does your company face?
This can highlight strategic, resource, financial & other challenges at higher levels, as well as giving you a better understanding of how the immediate team might be impacted by these wider issues. - How do you see this role helping with those challenges?
This is a really useful question that can help you to understand what the company’s expectations are for the role. It also signals that you as a candidate are looking for a role where you can be of genuine use within an organisation.
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