Though interviewers often do most of the questioning, they usually give you the opportunity at the end to ask questions of your own. You may be the one asking the question, but you will be judged on the quality of these – so think carefully.
If your questions are about workload, salary or annual leave, you can seem self-centred. These topics will be addressed eventually, and you can discuss them openly when you receive an offer. We suggest you use the interview as an opportunity to ask questions that will give you more scope on the company, its organisational culture and the staff. In short, find out why you should work there.
We’ve taken some examples from a Mashable article and adapted them to the heavy vehicle and equipment industry.
“What do you like about the brands you sell or service?”
This great question indicates you want to work where the staff love the brands. You can also mention how passionate sales staff sell more or upsell more servicing. You’ll get some insight into the culture when asking a question like this.
“How would the role affect the dealership immediately and in the long-term?”
This demonstrates that you have the best interests of the company in mind. It also indicates that you are committed and looking for stability in a role. For example, Kubota is currently expanding and investing across Australia, with ambitious world-wide growth targets. The interviewer will be impressed with your interest in the role you would play in this aggressive strategy. To paraphrase what JFK said, ‘ask not what your dealership can do for you – ask what you can do for your dealership.’
“What do you like about the dealership and the team?”
This is a bold question, but the interviewer should be able to answer it. If you don’t think they’re giving you an honest answer, perhaps ask more questions about the company culture, team work and staff ethics. It will tell you about the work environment and corporate values. Do you really want to work for someone who doesn’t genuinely enjoy their job?
“What areas need urgent attention from the successful candidate?”
Especially helpful for managers, this question gives you great insight into what currently isn’t working if there is someone in the role. It will also give you an idea of what changes are expected upon commencement. This question gives you an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your initiative. If you’re going to ask this, be prepared – they may want to hear your ideas!
These questions can help you gain excellent insight and leave a lasting impression when you walk out the door. If you are a candidate, we encourage you to ask meaningful questions during interviews, whilst taking into consideration the nature of the interview. It’s important to be genuine and remember to listen carefully to the answers.
Good luck!
Teamrecruit is Australia’s most established recruitment agency specialising in truck, earthmoving and agricultural machinery dealerships in Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific and Southeast Asia. Find out more about Teamrecruit and how we support employers and candidates in the dealership industry.
