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Your job candidates are interviewing you as much as you’re interviewing them. They want to know if your company, role, and hiring manager align with their career goals and personal needs.

Take time during the initial phone interview to thoroughly and thoughtfully answer your candidates’ questions. This can help you engage your candidates while you both continue evaluating whether there’s a good fit. 

Here are some common interview questions you should be prepared to answer.

“What’s the salary range for this role?”

The LinkedIn Global Talent Trends, October 2022 report found that candidates consider compensation and benefits to be their top priority. Don’t be surprised if you get more questions about your salary range or rewards package than you have in the past. Pay transparency isn’t considered quite as taboo as it once was. Modern candidates are more comfortable asking about compensation — and many fully expect it to be shared.

Make sure you know the salary range for your role so you can share it with candidates when they ask. A good best practice is to share a subset of your range so candidates don’t expect a job offer to come at the top of your range. 

It’s also a good idea to have a basic understanding of how compensation is set at your company. This will allow you to communicate the factors that go into each offer, which may include things like location, education, or years of experience.

“What’s your remote work policy?”

The Global Talent Trends report also found that balance and flexibility followed compensation as top candidate priorities in 2022. Remote work offers both. Candidates will naturally want to know your organization’s policy on the matter and how the hiring manager applies the policy on their team.

Share whether your opportunity is fully remote, remote-first, hybrid, or in-person. You might also note whether the policy is formalized or if it could be in flux over the coming years. Offering transparency in this area will give your candidates a realistic understanding of your policy so they’re not caught off guard if they later join your team.

“What opportunities do you offer for professional growth?”

Upskilling and advancement round out the top five biggest candidate priorities, according to the Global Talent Trends report. People want to grow in their careers and they want to know they will have room to do so if they join your company.

Be prepared to discuss employee development opportunities at your organization, including online learning subscriptions, career coaching services, and mentoring programs. Share possible career paths your job candidate would be able to pursue if they were to join your organization. (Career paths could also be something you tee up in your job postings, as GitLab does for some of its roles.) And when applicable, share employee career advancement stories to demonstrate your commitment to professional growth.

“How would you describe the company culture?”

There’s no shortage of job opportunities right now and candidates want to know why they should pursue a role at your company specifically. Learning about your culture gives candidates insight into what it’s like to work at your company so they can determine whether it’s a good fit.

Share your company values and provide detail around how those values present themselves in the day-to-day. Candidates want to know that you practice what you preach. For example, organizations that value teamwork could share their recent team building activities and highlight their peer-to-peer recognition program.

“What are your favorite — and least favorite — things about working here?”

This is another common interview question candidates may ask to glean more information about your company culture. Every organization has pros and cons as an employer. Candidates want to consider whether they can work with your company’s imperfections and benefit from its strengths. 

Honesty and transparency are key. The way you answer this question helps your candidate determine if your company will be a good fit for them. Embellishing the truth — or burying some ugly truths — can lead to early disengagement and turnover if those candidates become employees.

“Is this a new position or a backfill?”

Candidates want to understand why your role is vacant and what that could infer about your company. For example, a new position could mean your company is growing or that the hiring team is shifting responsibilities to accommodate employee needs. A backfill could mean a team member was promoted, quit, or let go.

When you answer this question, share some context so your candidate understands why your role is vacant. For example, a promotion is a great opportunity to share or reiterate your organization’s commitment to professional development and internal mobility. 

“What does the hiring process look like for this role?”

The hiring process can differ quite a bit from company to company and your candidates want to know what to expect. This can help them prepare for what’s to come and determine if your process fits into their timeline and availability. 

Let your candidates know the specifics around each stage in your process, including what it entails, when it will take place, how long it will take, and who will be involved. Include everything from interviews and assessments to background and reference checks. 

Then do your best to stick to the plan. If you find you need more time before moving to the next step in your process, communicate that with your candidates so you don’t leave them waiting in anticipation.

“Do you have any hesitation moving me to the next step?”

Candidates often put a lot of time and cognitive effort into interviewing and they’re eager to learn your overall impression and whether you’ll be recommending them to move forward. 

Take this opportunity to clarify candidate responses to your interview questions so you have all the information you need to make a recommendation. If you don’t think a candidate has the right work experience, you might explain why and allow them the opportunity to respond. But if you think they’re a great fit, say so! This can help you keep your most qualified candidates engaged in your hiring process.

You may also choose to ask your candidate if they have any reservations about moving forward with your company. This is a good opportunity to answer further questions, clear up any red flags, and reduce candidate drop-off.

Final thoughts: Preparing for common interview questions will only get you so far

Each candidate is unique and their job interview questions will reflect that. There may be some questions that you don’t know how to answer. If that’s the case, let the candidate know you’ll find out and circle back to provide an answer as soon as you can. This practice helps you learn more about the role while providing a standout candidate experience.

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