Reverse questions play a very important role in an interview. By asking back questions, you can show that you are serious about working for the company and that you can adapt to the work environment and culture.
However, if you give the interviewer a bad impression, it will this can be detrimental to the interview.
Therefore, it is important to seriously consider and prepare for the reverse questions before you go to the interview.
In this article, we will discuss some of the questions that should be avoided in an interview. Students who want to avoid the backhanded questions that can be detrimental to the interview should read to the end.
In addition, we will also introduce some questions that will make a good impression on the interviewer, so you can refer to them if you are not sure what to ask in a reverse interview.
1.questions that can be answered by doing some research
When the interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions?” avoid basic questions that can be found on the company website or in the job posting.
御社はどのような商品を扱っていますか？
御社の企業理念は何ですか？
御社の売上を教えてください。
主な事業内容について教えてください。
Questions like these give the interviewer the impression that you have not researched the company beforehand.
In addition, “not having researched the company” = “low level of interest in the company” will be evaluated as “low level of interest in the company.
Instead, consider the following questions.
会社の将来の展望や成長戦略は何ですか？
このポジションの成功に必要なスキルや資質は何ですか？
今までの従業員がどのように成長しましたか？
この部署やプロジェクトの最大の挑戦は何ですか？
These questions will help demonstrate your seriousness and interest and make a positive impression on the interviewer.
2.avoid questions that make you appear unconfident.
It is natural for students who are new to interviewing to feel nervous or anxious during an interview.
However, if you give the interviewer the impression that you are not confident, you will leave the impression that you will not be able to work confidently after joining the company.
For this reason, it is important to avoid asking the opposite question that will make you appear less confident during the interview.
ノルマが達成できなかったらどうなりますか？
未経験でも大丈夫ですか？
勉強できる環境はありますか？
日本語が上手ではないけど、入社後に勉強でも大丈夫ですか？
入社してから覚えれば大丈夫ですか？
These questions may give the impression that you are not confident.
Interviewer would not want to hire a student who is not confident in his/her ability to do the job.
Instead, consider the following questions.
成果を上げるための支援やトレーニングプログラムはありますか？
会社のカルチャーや価値観に適応するためのサポートがありますか？
入社後の成長とキャリアパスについて教えていただけますか？
新入社員の経験者として、成功の秘訣は何だと思われますか？
These questions will help you demonstrate that you are ambitious and willing to overcome challenges.
3.questions about salary and benefits
It is important to be concerned about a company’s salary and benefits during your job search.
However, it is safe to avoid asking questions about salary and benefits in an interview.
This is because if you ask questions about salary and benefits, you run the risk of making the interviewer think that you are not enthusiastic about the job.
どんな手当がありますか？
残業はありますか？
年間休日は何日ありますか？
ボーナスはどのぐらいですか？
有休はいつから取れますか？
These questions can make it seem like you are only interested in the salary and benefits aspect.
Instead, consider the following balanced questions.
会社が従業員のキャリア成長や満足度向上にどのように貢献していますか？
チームの協力とコラボレーションに重点を置いている場合、それはどのように促進されていますか？
プロジェクトにおける成功事例や、チームメンバーの達成についてのエピソードはありますか？
会社の文化や価値観について、従業員の視点から教えていただけますか？
These questions show that you are interested in the organization as a whole, not just focused on salary and benefits.
By asking balanced questions during the interview, you can make your aptitude and passion more appealing to the interviewer.
Finally,to all international students, the most important factor when seeking employment in Japan is mastering the Japanese language. Smooth communication in Japan’s workplace environment and society relies on using the right words to express yourself effectively. Furthermore, having strong Japanese language skills provides advantages in various situations, from selecting job opportunities to interviews and actual job tasks. By enhancing your Japanese language proficiency, you can approach your work with confidence.
offers a solution to the language barrier faced by international students during job hunting by providing a free Japanese conversation room exclusively for foreign students. If you’re interested in learning Japanese, we encourage you to join us. Please feel free to participate!
