Having the right kind of questions ready can give you a final chance to showcase your relevant qualities and experience for the job at hand, writes Kirstie McDermott.
No one actively loves a job interview, and we’d be lying if we said otherwise. What is true is you can actually make things a little easier for yourself and help the whole process go a bit more smoothly by doing one pretty simple thing: have some questions prepared.
There are a few great reasons why this is a key thing to have in your back pocket for any interview you do. One, because an interviewer will often ask at the end of the interview if you have anything you’d like to ask them. So having a list of pre-prepared questions to ask makes you look enthusiastic and engaged, as opposed to sitting there racking your brains on the fly. Preparation is something all employers are looking for, and will value.
Secondly, having the right kind of questions ready can also give you a final chance to showcase your relevant qualities and experience for the job at hand.
And thirdly, and importantly, it allows you to really delve deeper into whether you actually want this gig. It is all very well to have spent hours sweating over CVs and cover letters and salon tests – but you need to know you’ll be happy working there too.
So, with all that in mind, what are some key things that are good to ask? We’ve narrowed it down to these five questions:
Can you tell me more about the day-to-day responsibilities of the role?
This answer could be quite telling – you may be perfectly satisfied with the reply or it could it be that you’ll be biting off more than you can chew?
How could I impress you in the first three months?
A great question to ask to show that you won’t just come in and coast along, doing the bare minimum.
Are there opportunities for training and progression within the role/company?
No one wants their career to stand still. We all want to progress and do work that fulfills us. Especially in the beauty industry, keeping up with trends and the latest product and technical innovations is vital. Will there be opportunities for you to upskill, do additional training and enter relevant industry competitions?
Where do you think the company is headed in the next five years?
A good way to sound out how you might progress within the company. If you get an enthusiastic and positive response, then things are likely to be good. However if it’s not quite so upbeat, it could be that the business isn’t on an upward trajectory.
What are the biggest challenges of this job?
Pay close attention to the answer you get here. If it relates to a lot of late nights, and additional workloads, it could be a sign of a lack of resources or poor management.
Ready to put your questions to the test? The three companies below are hiring – and you can check out plenty more open roles on the Job Board too.
David Jones
As Australia’s leading premium retailer, David Jones has been in operation for over 180 years. The oldest continuously operating department store in the world still trading under its original name, it sells national and international brands in fashion, beauty, food, technology, and homewares. The group is made up of 45 stores across Australia and New Zealand, which includes its online store, and two boutique-style stores at Barangaroo Sydney, and James Street Brisbane. Right now, David Jones is hiring for a slew of roles including Beauty Opportunities in Brisbane as well as Beauty Counter Manager Opportunities – David Jones Elizabeth Street in Sydney. View all open roles at David Jones.
Vivir Healthcare
Vivir is one of Australia’s leading healthcare providers in the aged care sector and the wider community. Its teams make a difference to over 20,000 lives every week by providing staffing solutions in residential aged care facilities, as well as in the homes of elderly people, retirement villages and hospitals. There are a variety of roles on offer with the company right now, including a Physiotherapist and Dietitian, both in Brisbane. Check out more jobs at Vivir Healthcare.
Aesop Corporate
Established in 1987, the Aesop beauty brand is headquartered in Melbourne, and has offices and stores across the world. Within an ethos that has always been around formulating skin, hair and body care products of the finest quality, the company sources plant-based and laboratory-made ingredients, and uses only those with a proven record of safety and efficacy. In each of its unique stores, informed consultants are trained to showcase the Aesop range and to guide customers’ selections. Right now, the company is hiring for a range of roles, with a number of them in Australia. These include Retail Consultants in Perth and Store Manager in Canberra. Discover more opportunities at Aesop Corporate.
Interested in exploring your career potential? Then browse all the open positions waiting for your application.
If you want to post your job to our Professional Beauty Job Board, get in touch today.
This article was produced in partnership with Jobbio.
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