14 Questions to Ask an Employer in the Third Interview (2023)

What is one question you can ask an employer in the third round of interviews?

To help candidates prepare for the third round of interviews, we asked hiring managers and recruiters this question for their best insights. From questions on advancement opportunities to the onboarding process, there are several things to ask an employer that may help you gain further insight into the position.

Here are 14 questions to ask an employer in the third interview:

• Advancement Opportunities

• Planned Job Start Date

• First Month On the Job

• Hypothetical Situation

• Traits of the Most Successful Employees

• If You Can Provide Anything Else

• What ‘aha’ Moment Made Them Join the Company

• Obstacles You Should Expect to Overcome

• Management Styles

• Outside Influence

• What Problems Need Solving

• Essential Tips On Collaborating

• Change in Leadership Structure

• Onboarding Process

Advancement Opportunities

Can you tell me if this job offers opportunities for advancement?

One question to ask in the third round of interviews is about advancement opportunities. If you ask this question too early, you may appear too eager for growth and not interested in the available role. By waiting until later, you give the employer ample time to vet you and understand you are a great fit both now and in the future. Overall, you want to strategically position yourself as a flexible candidate that is both able to take on the immediate tasks and grow with the organization too.

Michael Alexis, TeamBuilding

Planned Job Start Date

When would you like the person in this position to start?

The existence of the third round of interviews signifies the process is lengthy and designed to select only best-fitting candidates. Although many large businesses can afford to conduct recruitment stretching over many months, many candidates need to land jobs in a much shorter time. Asking the employer about the planned start date can allow both sides to adjust their expectations and prevent last-minute resignation.

Michael Sena, SENACEA

First Month On the Job

What are the expectations for this position in the first 30 days?

A great question to ask is what are the expectations of this position in the first 30 days of working at the company. Since having a third interview means that the employer is very serious about you as a candidate, you want to make sure that you show that you’re serious about it. You want to communicate to them that you are the best person for the role. Asking them such a specific question indicates to them that you definitely want the job and that you have put thought into how you would perform in the role.

Bill Glaser, Outstanding Foods

Hypothetical Situation

Can you provide a hypothetical situation that I might encounter while on the job?

One question you might ask in the third round of interviews is a hypothetical situation that you might encounter while on the job and get a sense of how the person in the role would handle it. A lot of jobs require good problem-solving skills and this question will give you insight into the expected problem-solving skills. You will get an idea of how the person in the role approaches problems and what they do to solve them. This is critical to hiring the right candidate for the position because they need someone who is calm under pressure and knows how to make the right next moves.

Chris Gadek, AdQuick

Traits of the Most Successful Employees

What are the characteristics of your most successful employees?

If the job seeker wants to be the perfect candidate, they could ask what are the characteristics of your most successful employees for the third round interview question. This can help give the candidate insight into how the department works and what the employer has in mind for the role. It will also show the employer that you’ve given a lot of thought to the position and that you’re taking the possibility of working at the company seriously. Gaining this knowledge of the position will also help potential candidates decide if it is something that they definitely want.

Shaun Price, MitoQ

If You Can Provide Anything Else

Is there anything else I can provide to help the hiring manager with their decision-making process?

In a third, and usually final, interview, you should ask if there is anything else you can provide to help the hiring manager with their decision-making process. You could provide a portfolio of your work if you haven’t already or other examples of previous work to highlight your skills and experience. By asking if you can provide anything else, it shows you want to make sure all of your bases are covered and show that you are enthusiastic about the opportunity.

Maegan Griffin, Skin Pharm

What ‘aha’ Moment Made Them Join the Company

What ‘aha’ moment made you decide to join this company?

The truth is, everyone loves talking about themselves and their personal experience, including recruiters and managers that interview you. To find out more about their feelings about the company, it’s a great idea to ask why they decided to accept the offer themselves. What sparked their interest? What was their ‘wow’ moment? How is it going now? It could give a candidate a much better overview of who and why workers for this company, which is an important factor when making a final decision. In the end, it’s not only the company that chooses the candidate, but also the candidate who chooses their prospective employer.

Tytus Golas, Tidio

Obstacles You Should Expect to Overcome

What kind of obstacles can I expect to overcome in this role?

That’s a question that will get the attention of any hiring manager. That’s because it digs deeper than the typical surface-level questions interviewees ask, and if you’ve made it to a third interview, it’s time to get an expanded insight into the role. A third-round candidate is obviously being seriously considered, and getting ahead of perceived challenges is both smart and impressive. It’s also good to let the employer know that you’re ready to jump in and get your hands dirty on day one.

Nancy Belcher, Winona

Management Styles

How would you define your management style as it relates to this position/team?

We did a lot of hiring in 2021 and one of our favorite hires asked about their manager’s management style in the final interview round. They wanted to know how they assigned tasks, gave feedback, and generally communicated given that much of the team is still remote. I thought it was a great question to ask and shows a real interest in determining if they are going to be a good fit for that team.

Sylvia Kang, Mira

Outside Influence

Who do you talk to about professional problems, opportunities, or issues? Who is your strategic thought partner?

This question helps understand the candidate’s network and also their willingness to consult others on big initiatives.

Sentari Minor, evolvedMD

What Problems Need Solving

What issues is the company hoping to solve with this hire?

Every interview process is meant to accomplish one thing for an employer, and that is to solve a problem. By asking the question, “What issues is the company hoping to solve with this hire?”, you are demonstrating that you understand the intent behind the process.

In addition, through their answer, you will gain insight into the employer’s expectations and the metrics they use to measure the successful completion of a task. This, in turn, allows you to control the conversation and gear your answers to address those needs. By asking this intelligent question, you will stand out as a candidate who truly understands what the position is about.

Woody Sears, Hearhere

Essential Tips On Collaborating

Could you share some essential tips on collaborating with different members and managers of my existing team?

Irrespective of how tech-oriented a job profile may be, collaborating with peers and superiors remains an essential aspect of every job. In asking this question, you can seek actionable information on how to interact, collaborate, and even positively influence different personnel in your team. From learning how to refrain from touching raw nerves and staying away from sensitive topics to gaining insights on how to contribute to making the current work environment better, there’s a lot of information to learn from here. These insights will also help you settle into your team ecosystem quickly and seamlessly with the least possible resistance or friction.

Krista Haws, Dripped Coffee

Change in Leadership Structure

Is the Company’s Leadership Structure About to Change?

This question will tell you whether or not your current boss or supervisor will be replaced shortly after your potential hire. The department’s structure may change if a new manager is brought in. Asking this question is an excellent way to ensure that you are well prepared for any upcoming changes at the organization.

Sumit Bansal, TrumpExcel

Onboarding Process

How does the onboarding process work?

If you’re hired, it’s critical that hiring managers have a plan in place for your onboarding. This question serves as a reminder to them of that. The better they plan for onboarding, the better your chances of success as a new employee at the organization.

Anjelica Rivera, Cell Tracking Apps

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