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HomeFinancialEx-Meta recruiter: Skipping questions is an interview 'purple flag', says Jenn Bouchard

Ex-Meta recruiter: Skipping questions is an interview ‘purple flag’, says Jenn Bouchard



It’s at all times painfully awkward when the hiring supervisor throws the curveball, “Do you’ve got any questions for us?” at you. As a rule, there’s nothing left to cowl. The standard subjects—like what the job truly entails and what number of days you’re anticipated to indicate face within the workplace—are likely to come up naturally early on throughout the interview. However be warned: Not mustering up the hassle to think about something to ask might price you the job. 

That’s no less than in line with Jenn Bouchard, Meta’s former international head of expertise and present Chief Individuals and Administration Officer on the artistic company, Figure8.

“If candidates don’t have follow-up questions that they’ve pulled by means of from the interview or if they only say ‘I’ve had all of my questions answered’, that’s a purple flag,” Bouchard tells Fortune.

Having labored in expertise acquisition for greater than 15 years, Bouchard realized that the absence of questions from candidates usually alerts “disinterest” within the job they’re making use of for.

“An interview is a two-way expertise,” she explains. “And in order a lot as I’m attending to know the candidate, I additionally need them to be inquisitive about attending to know the position, the corporate, the tradition, even the staff that they could be strolling into.”

3 inquiries to have up your sleeve

Sweaty palms and drawing clean can get the most effective of us: It’s utterly comprehensible – regular even – to be nervous throughout a job interview, Bouchard sympathizes.

So as an alternative of counting on considering of one thing nice on the spot, it’s a good suggestion to have some questions up your sleeve to impress the hiring supervisor.

These are a number of questions which have wowed Bouchard in previous interviews: 

  • What’s the toughest downside that you just’re attempting to unravel? What has the staff not been in a position to clear up? And why do you suppose that’s?
  • What are the highest three strengths of the staff? And the way will this particular person add to the strengths of that staff? 

In the meantime, for these keen to realize real perception into the corporate tradition of a potential employer, Bouchard recommends asking the recruiter: What has the management staff just lately carried out primarily based on worker suggestions?

“That for me would allow you to perceive how the corporate listens to their staff, how usually they take heed to their staff, the worth of the worker suggestions, in addition to management’s funding within the workforce and the way attuned they’re to the wants of that workforce as nicely,” she provides.

E mail them after for additional brownie factors

As soon as the adrenaline buzz of dealing with your potential future boss—be it throughout a desk or by means of a Zoom display screen—has subsided, a follow-up e-mail wouldn’t go amiss. 

Though the subject of thanks notes is sort of contentious—with some arguing that it might probably look determined and provides to a hiring supervisor’s already full plate—in Bouchard eye’s it separates the “smartest candidates” out from the remainder. 

Higher but, telling them what you realized from the method is a significant inexperienced flag in her guide.

“A fast notice to understand somebody’s time with one thing that they’ve taken away from the interview, actually lets me know that they have been current, engaged and constantly excited concerning the roles that we now have on the firm,” Bouchard explains.

“That’s the standout piece for me, that you just’re in a position to reiterate one thing that you just realized or one thing that made the candidate excited concerning the position.” 

Why? “It reveals to me that degree of curiosity that we proceed to search for from candidates.”

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