Interviewing during a recession? Questions you need to ask the interviewer

Interviews are a two-way street. Yes, you want the hiring manager to know you’re the right candidate. But you also want to make sure they’re the right company for you. And trust us when we say not all companies are born equal! That’s why you ask questions at the end of your interview. But it’s even more important for you to find the right company in times of uncertainty. And as you know, inflation is rising. So you need to find a company that’s built to weather the storm. Make your job security a priority.

To minimise your job-hunting stress, we’ve prepared 5 questions to ask interviewers during times of economic uncertainty.

5 questions to ask interviewers during a recession

1. What are your plans to survive the downturn?

When on the brink of a recession, companies need to prepare as much as possible. It’s not a question of ‘waiting and seeing how it goes.’ That screams trouble. You want to hear about all the ways the company is preparing. 

2. Have you laid off any staff?

As we said before, your job security should be your priority. But you want to be cautious of choosing a company that’s laying off staff left, right and centre. Because chances are, it won’t be long before the redundancy tirade will land on your doorstep. If the company has been laying off staff, ask them what reassurances they can make that your job will be safe. 

3. Has the company survived a recession before? If so, how?

This question depends on the age of the company. If they have survived a recession, this is a good sign. It means the company has experience in dealing with financial hardship. Ask about what they went through. What challenges did they face? And how did they overcome them?

4. How has the downturn impacted your company?

Recessions impact every company. Some companies lose earnings. Others cancel product launches. It varies from company to company. So find out exactly how this is being felt by the company. It’s normal for companies to stop focusing on growth during economic downturns. Instead, they focus more on stability.

5. How has the downturn impacted your industry?

Just like most companies are affected by economic uncertainty, so are most industries. Look at the pandemic, for example. The travel industry completely shut down. And so did hospitality. But at the same time, online shopping platforms like Amazon shot through the roof. So it’s important to understand the challenges of each industry.

Job security for the win

Proceed with caution when job hunting during economic downturns. You want to find a company that can provide as much job security as possible. Although asking these questions can feel awkward, it’s totally necessary. Not only does your job depend on it, but your life too. It’s kinda a big deal! So look for those companies who have experience handling recessions and are prepared for worst case scenarios!

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