Top 10 interview questions to Ask

The best interview questions also benefit job seekers by giving them an opportunity to speak to details that don’t fit on a resume.

While a savvy interviewer always includes questions tailored to the position, our list of the 10 best questions works across a variety of industries and job descriptions:

1. From everything you’ve learned about this role, me and our company, tell me how you feel you’d make a contribution.

This interview question sorts people into two categories: contenders and also-rans.

“Those who have really prepared will love this opportunity to shine and stand out, demonstrating that they have done all the homework that can absolutely be done in today’s world of instant information, ” says Darrell W. Gurney, career coach and author of .

“Those who haven’t will stumble and try to put some generic response together, which will be obvious.”

2. Why should we hire you?

This is among the best interview questions because it asks job candidates to define what sets them apart from the intense competition in today’s job market, says Doug Schade, principal & supervising executive recruiter, Winter, Wyman & Company - New York Accounting & Finance.

An interviewee who does a great job explaining how her unique experience, education, industry credentials, and personal interests will power your business will do the same thing for your company once hired.

3. If you could start your career over again, what would you do differently?

While no one likes to dwell on past regrets, this can be a good question to ask, says Brendan Courtney, president of staffing firms Randstad Finance & Accounting and The Mergis Group, Boston.

Asking a candidate to explain the major decisions he has made, highlighting the positive and negative, reveals the person’s ability to make calculated decisions based on past professional and personal experiences.

It also lets candidates share their vision for the future and their ambitions.

4. When I contact your last supervisor and ask which area of your work needs the most improvement, what will I learn?

“I love this question because it’s the one that actually garners an honest response from the candidate, ” says career coach Lauren Milligan of ResuMayday, a Warrenville, Illinois, career-counseling firm.

“No amount of finesse will influence this answer because when the supervisor is brought into the conversation, the candidate knows the truth will come out anyway. Essentially, it’s the same question as ‘what is your biggest weakness, ’ phrased in an unexpected way.”