I don't want to go through the same thing again at my next job. The reverse questions I actually used to identify the work environment during interviews
Hello. This is Hiro.
You are thinking about changing jobs, but you cannot take the first step.
Are there any of you who are holding onto this kind of anxiety?
"The reason I want to change jobs is because I want to change my current situation. But what if it's the same at my next job?"
The conditions weren't bad. The atmosphere during the interview wasn't bad either. But once I started, it was no different from my previous workplace.
Every time I hear stories like that, it scares me.
I was like that myself.
In my late 30s, I experienced adjustment disorder and job hunted while on leave.
I wanted to avoid going through the same thing again at my next job at all costs.
To do that, what I did was use reverse questions to identify the work environment.
In this article, I will share the reverse questions I actually used in interviews and how I made judgments based on the answers.
This is the kind of consultation content that would cost over 10,000 yen per hour if you asked a career coach.
Moreover, this kind of information is almost never found in interview preparation books or job change websites.
I have summarized it in this article.
What you can do with reverse questions
If you use reverse questions in an interview, you can verify the work environment before joining the company.
Things not written in the job posting. Things that appear in the nuances of the interviewer's words.
Depending on how you ask, you can see them.
To ensure you don't end up thinking "this isn't what I expected" after joining, I will share the specific methods this time.
Note that reverse questions can also be used to improve your impression. This is a deep topic, so I will explain it again at a later date.
The reverse questions I actually used
The key is not to ask about the company as a whole, but to ask about the interviewer's own experience.
If you ask, "How is your company?", you will get a formal, rehearsed answer.
But if you ask, "What was it like for you personally?", you will get a real-life experience.
That is the core of seeing through the facade.
Reverse Question 1: Checking for "open communication"
"When you personally made a suggestion, did you feel that the communication was open?"
Why ask this?
If you ask, "Is your company's communication open?", almost everyone will answer, "I think so."
But when you ask about the interviewer's personal experience, the way they answer will vary.
Some people will immediately provide a concrete episode, while others will hesitate. That difference is very close to the reality of the workplace.
When I actually asked this, the interviewer answered like this:
"Yes. I was able to share it with my supervisor immediately, and it was brought up as a topic within the company."
A concrete episode came out immediately. That alone told me that this company has an environment where suggestions are accepted.
What to read from the answer
They talk about a concrete episode immediately → There is a culture where suggestions are accepted
The subject changes to "Basically..." or "As a company..." → There is something that makes it difficult to answer as a personal experience
Their smile fades a little, they choose their words carefully → There is a possibility that the reality is not good
Reverse Question 2: Reading the environment from the "ideal candidate profile"
"What common traits do you feel successful people at your company share?"
Why I ask this
The type of person they are looking for reflects what the company values.
I focus on the actual words returned, rather than the superficial language.
When I actually asked this, the interviewer answered as follows.
"First of all, people who can communicate well are the ones who succeed here. On top of that, we evaluate based on experience and skills."
Communication came first. I felt that this is a company that values human relationships more than skills.
What to read from the answer
"Someone who can communicate" -> There is a culture that values human relationships
"Someone who can work hard" / "Someone who can put in the effort" -> Possibility of a culture that demands self-sacrifice
"Someone who can endure" / "A tough person" -> Possibility that a difficult environment is waiting
The words chosen are more honest than polished language.
Things I want you to know when using reverse questions
What I introduced this time is just one example.
There are other ways to ask about the interviewer's personal experience.
Also, this does not mean you can completely see through the work environment.
However, since I am asking about the interviewer's own actual experience, I believe there is little chance of it being 100% a lie.
Unlike a company-wide answer, an individual's experience brings out their own words.
That is where the reality of the workplace seeps out just a little bit.
Finally
I don't want to have the same experience at my next job.
Feeling that way is by no means a sign of weakness.
It means you are thinking seriously about how you work.
Reverse questions are one of the ways to do that.
By simply refining how you ask, the interview becomes not just a place where you are chosen, but a place where you do the choosing.
If you would like to practice reverse questions or are wondering how you should ask in your specific situation, please let me know in the comments.
I have also compiled the methods I practiced regarding how to speak during interviews in general.
I used to struggle with what to say and how to convey it, but
that anxiety is gone.
I will show you those methods!
I hope to share not only reverse questions, but also how to introduce yourself and how to convey your motivation for applying, based on what I actually did that made a difference.
I would be happy if you look forward to it.
Hiro
Self-introduction
The reason I started sharing information
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