When you think of preparing for an interview, you might not think about the questions you should ask your interviewer.

You are missing a huge opportunity. First of all, asking questions can help you to demonstrate your thoughtfulness about the role and organization. Interviewers can tell a lot about you by the kinds of questions that you ask.

And routine questions won’t help you to stand out.

Secondly, asking questions of your interviewer can help you to gather more information about whether this position and organization is the right fit for you.

Here are three questions I always suggest that you ask, plus my thoughts on what you might want to listen for and how to decide if it’s a good fit!

After all, it’s not just an opportunity for your employer to get to know you, but for you to get to know them as well.

“In your view, what would be the most challenging aspect of this position for someone with my qualifications?”

I love this question because the response lets the hiring manager tell you which components of the job description and skills are most important. It can give you some sense of their assessment of your fit for the job.

Pay attention to how much of a match your experience seems to be for their needs.

Once the question has been asked and answered, you might take a moment to reiterate your experience and share a skill you may have forgotten to mention.

“What is your favorite part about working here?”

How quickly are folks able to answer this question?

What do they say?

The key to this question is to figure out what’s important to you and to see how well their answer matches yours.

“Can you give me an example of recent professional development or training opportunities?”

Finally, don’t hesitate to ask for examples and specifics if that is something that is important to you!

Do you want an employer that pays for your next degree? Or do you want on-the-job training? Do you want support and room to grow in the organization? You’re looking to understand how the company or organization views the development of their employees- as workers and as people!

Which question will you ask at your next interview? Or do you have a favorite question that you always ask at job interviews? Let me know in the comments below!