Interviewing is a two-way street. You're not just there to impress the hiring manager - you're also there to assess whether this is the right opportunity for you. We all communicate differently. And to a certain degree, how we communicate determines whether or not we'll succeed in our role. Understanding our manager's communication style as well as how they'll handle our own style can help to determine whether or not we'll be successful in a new role. How do you do that? One crucial area to explore is the management style and company culture. Here are some questions we gathered from the Virtual Coffee community that you can ask to gain a better understanding of what it would be like to work for this manager and company:

Management style

Asking about a manager's management style can help you determine if it aligns with your working style and if you'll be able to work collaboratively with your manager. It's essential to understand how disagreements are handled and the ideal team structure to get a sense of how your contributions will fit into the bigger picture.

Questions

• What's your management style?
• How are disagreements are handled in the team and at the organizational level?
• What is the ideal team structure and how will I fit into the team?

Onboarding and Success in the Role

Asking about the onboarding process and what success in the role looks like is a great way to understand the expectations of the position and ensure you're set up for success. Knowing the skills and qualities your potential manager is looking for can also help you tailor your interview answers to highlight your strengths.

Questions

• What does the first 30/60/90 days look like?
• How does a new hire succeed in this role?
• What skills/qualities are you looking for that I can demonstrate right now to check off?

Company Culture and Career Growth

Learning more about the company culture can help you decide if you're a good fit for the organization, and understanding the challenges your team is facing can help you to succeed. Asking about career growth and progression can help you determine if the company will support your professional development.

Questions

• Tell me how ____ works at your company. (Get a sense of how technically mature the org is)
• What is a major problem or challenge your teams are working on?
• What can I do to help you and your teams succeed?
• What are the career progression plans, and is there an education stipend?
• Has there been any part of the company culture that surprised you?

Turnover Rates and Team Tenure

Understanding the turnover rate and team tenure can provide insight into the company's stability and whether it's a good long-term fit for you. Learning about the previous person in the role and why they left can also help you understand potential challenges of the position.

Questions

• Why did the last person leave your team?
• Is this role being back-filled or is it a new opening?
• What is the turnover rate?
• What is the shortest time someone has worked here, and why?
• How long have other team members worked here?
• How long has the most senior person been here?

Wrap-Up

Asking if the interviewer has any concerns and what to expect in the first few months can help you prepare for the position if you're hired. These questions also show that you're invested in the role and eager to succeed.

Questions

• Do you have any concerns about me that we can address before the end of this call?
• In a year, if you decide to fire me, what did I do?
• In a year if you give me the maximum raise and employee of the year, what did I do?

Conclusion

Some of the most effective interviews are the ones that feel like conversations. It's not just you asking questions and it's not just them asking questions. You're making a connection through a conversation. This is what helps you to know if you're going to grow and succeed in a role. Is it a fool-proof method? No. But I don't think that exists. Because we're living and breathing human beings, we change, organizations run by humans change, and the most important thing is that we can communicate those changes well so we can adapt and adjust to be successful.