Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com / <strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong> / PAGE 38
WORKING LIFE QUESTION TIME Three important things to ask the interviewer. AUTHOR – Natascha Whitehead WHILST coming up with questions to ask during an interview is often an afterthought for candidates, it’s important to remember that it’s a two-way street; you are deciding whether the role is right for you just as the interviewer is assessing whether you are a suitable match for the role. To create a flow of conversation, judge when the appropriate moment is to ask certain things during your interview. If you wait until the end when your interviewer invites you to ask any questions, you may have to rush, and some of the questions you had lined up may have already been covered. If you prepare five to six questions, whilst you don’t have to ask them all, you will at least have them up your sleeve to utilise as and when necessary. In this article, I suggest three important topics to address when planning which questions to ask: the role at hand, the people within the company and the opportunities up for grabs: 1 THE ROLE Whether you’re applying for a new role, or a role you’ve carried out before, every organisation will have their differences, meaning there is plenty of information to gauge during an interview. For instance, the responsibilities and requirements of a credit analyst working within healthcare will vary from a credit analyst working in technology. Asking questions during your interview is the perfect chance to get insights into the role that are not already detailed on the job description. Whilst this question could be considered cliché, it’s useful to find out so you know what to expect: what does a typical day in the role look like? If you’re someone who likes routine, you may want to know if each day or week will have a similar structure or be significantly different. If there are any responsibilities mentioned on the job description that you are unfamiliar with or you feel need clarification, ask about those. You could also enquire about how your time will be split between different tasks. Another topic to broach when asking questions in your interview is how to achieve success; what does success look like in the role, how is it measured and what skills are most important to thrive? This will demonstrate your ambition and enthusiasm to not only secure the role, but to be successful. 2 THE PEOPLE When assessing a new role, it’s important to consider not just the work itself, but who you’ll work alongside, as it’s predominantly the people who make up an organisation’s culture and environment. Being able to work independently but also collaboratively is crucial across many roles in credit; if at some point during your interview you give a clear example of when you’ve worked well in a team, that is a convenient time to ask about the kind of team you will be joining. You could enquire about how the department is organised and what its relationship with the rest of the company is like. It’s worthwhile asking who you will be reporting to, how long they have worked in their role for and who else you might be working closely with? The team dynamic can have a huge impact on your job satisfaction, so the interview is a great opportunity to review whether you feel you would fit in and be able to flourish there. 3 THE OPPORTUNITIES Another effective way to prove your determination and commitment to your career is to ask about the opportunities available to you. There are numerous training programmes out there for credit professionals; find out whether the organisation has training and development plans in place to see if they prioritise upskilling to help future-proof your career. Asking about training and development also shows your willingness to learn, grow and constantly improve. During your interview, you could discuss a training programme you’ve already completed and then mention any courses you’d like to undertake in the future and ask whether your employer makes learning and development opportunities openly available. Career progression is also an important factor to take into account when considering a new role and to further portray yourself as a driven individual who would make a positive addition to their company. You could find out whether there is room to progress and continue on your career path at the organisation by asking if the job offers opportunities to move up the ladder. If so, what is the next step up from this position? This shows you are interested in working for the organisation in the long-term. Ultimately, asking well thought out questions is a great opportunity to both find out the answers you want to know and showcase yourself as an engaged and enthusiastic prospective employee. Next time you go for an interview, why not use questions to your advantage and ask away! Natascha Whitehead is Business Director of Hays <strong>Credit</strong> <strong>Management</strong>. If you wait until the end when your interviewer invites you to ask any questions, you may have to rush, and some of the questions you had lined up may have already been covered. Brave | Curious | Resilient / www.cicm.com / <strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong> / PAGE 39