Job interviews are no longer just about selling yourself—they’re a two-way street. While the interviewer is determining if you’re the right fit, you should also be evaluating if this role is the right one for you. The key? Asking questions that not only impress but also give you critical insight into the company, team, and future. So, here’s a list of the best questions to ask, sprinkled with a bit of strategy to help you make a stellar impression. 1. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with? Why it’s gold: This question shows you’re interested in your potential colleagues and how you’d fit into the team dynamics. Plus, their answer can reveal a lot about the company culture. 2. How does this role support the company’s overall goals? Why it’s gold: This question demonstrates you’re thinking big picture. You’re interested in how you can make an impact, which can only reflect positively on you as a candidate. 3. What would a typical day look like for someone in this role? Why it’s gold: Helps you avoid any nasty surprises! You get to understand the daily tasks and gauge if they align with your career aspirations. 4. What are the biggest challenges someone in this position might face? Why it’s gold: It shows you’re not shying away from challenges. You’re ready to tackle obstacles head-on and get a sense of what will be expected of you. 5. How will my performance be measured? Why it’s gold: Every job has success metrics. This question shows you’re serious about delivering results and helps you know if you’ll have the resources to meet expectations. 6. What are the growth opportunities within the role or department? Why it’s gold: Ambition is never a bad thing. This tells your interviewer you’re in it for the long haul and looking to evolve within the company. 7. Can you tell me more about the company’s values and how they influence the workplace? Why it’s gold: Culture is key to job satisfaction. This question helps you understand the company’s ethos and if it aligns with your own values. 8. How has the company evolved over the last few years? Why it’s gold: A growth-oriented question! It shows you’re curious about the company’s journey and where it’s headed. Their answer can also give insight into the company’s stability and direction. 9. What are the next steps in the interview process? Why it’s gold: Asking this question shows you’re interested and eager, without being overzealous. Plus, it gives you clarity about what to expect next. 10. Is there anything about my background that gives you pause or that I can clarify further? Why it’s gold: This is your opportunity to address any doubts they might have before the interview ends. You get to leave knowing you’ve given it your best shot.  Wrapping Up The right questions at the end of an interview can be the cherry on top of an impressive conversation. Tailor these questions to suit your style, and remember: the best interviews feel like genuine conversations. Show interest, dive into their responses, and you’ll leave a lasting impression while gathering essential insights for yourself.

Hiring the right person is never easy. It’s a delicate balancing act, especially in specialised fields like architecture and engineering. But when you get it wrong, the consequences can be catastrophic. A bad hire doesn’t just mean a mismatched candidate—it can have ripple effects that impact your projects, timelines, team morale, and bottom line. Let’s dive into the real costs of a poor recruitment decision in the architecture and engineering (A&E) sectors and, most importantly, how you can avoid this costly mistake. The Financial blow of a Bad Hire There’s no dancing around it—a bad hire hits the wallet hard. When you factor in the direct and indirect costs, it becomes clear how damaging a wrong hire can be. According to various studies, replacing an employee can cost anywhere from 50% to 200% of their annual salary. In A&E, where salaries tend to be higher than average, this cost can quickly spiral out of control. Direct Costs These include the expenses involved in the recruitment process itself, such as: Advertising the role Time spent by HR and recruitment teams Background checks and reference calls Onboarding and training If the hire turns out to be a poor fit, these expenses essentially go down the drain. Then, there are additional costs associated with recruiting a replacement: starting from scratch with job ads, interviews, and more training. Indirect Costs Here’s where it gets really tricky. Bad hires bring down productivity. If a new architect or engineer is constantly making mistakes, needs extra hand-holding, or isn’t pulling their weight, other team members will have to pick up the slack. This impacts project timelines, and in industries like architecture and engineering, where precision and timeliness are everything, delays can lead to missed deadlines, penalties, or lost clients. There’s also the issue of low morale. Teams can become frustrated, disengaged, and stressed out from constantly cleaning up after a poor hire. In extreme cases, you might even lose good employees who can’t bear working alongside someone not fit for the role. This leads to even more turnover, and the cycle continues. Project Risks: Delays and Defects In architecture and engineering, the consequences of a bad hire aren’t limited to financial losses—they can affect the very foundation of your projects. A poorly skilled engineer or architect might make costly errors that lead to project delays, safety issues, or the need for expensive rework. Missed Deadlines We all know time is money, especially in construction and infrastructure. If a bad hire slows down the team or makes crucial errors, your project timelines will suffer. Clients expect architects and engineers to deliver on time, and if you don’t, you could face fines or lose future work. A missed deadline can also mean you don’t get paid for certain milestones, throwing your cash flow into disarray. Design Flaws If a design flaw slips through due to a lack of expertise or attention to detail, the repercussions can be catastrophic. Poor structural engineering or inadequate architectural design can lead to rework, which isn’t just costly—it can result in client dissatisfaction or even legal battles. In extreme cases, poor engineering can lead to safety risks. Imagine the liability involved if structural issues emerge because the person responsible lacked the necessary skills or experience. The cost of fixing those errors will far outweigh any savings you thought you were making by hiring quickly or cheaply. How to avoid a Bad Hire So, how can you dodge the bullet of a bad hire? While there’s no magic formula to guarantee success, there are certain steps you can take to dramatically reduce the risk. 1. Prioritise Skills and Cultural Fit In architecture and engineering, technical skills are non-negotiable, but don’t forget about cultural fit. The best technical engineer won’t thrive in a collaborative design environment if they lack teamwork skills. Ensure you’re vetting candidates not only for their ability to do the job but also for how well they’ll mesh with your company’s values and work style. 2. Invest in Thorough Recruitment Processes Sometimes, the rush to fill a role leads to hasty decisions. Avoid the temptation to cut corners in your hiring process. Take the time to review portfolios, assess previous project work, and conduct multiple rounds of interviews. Bring in technical experts to help evaluate candidates' proficiency in key areas. Consider tasks or tests that mimic real project challenges to see how candidates would handle them. 3. Leverage Recruitment Agencies Specialised in A&E Partnering with a recruitment agency that specialises in architecture and engineering, like Vivid Recruitment, can be a game-changer. Niche agencies understand the specific skill sets, qualifications, and experience needed in these sectors. We know how to ask the right questions and filter out unsuitable candidates before they ever make it to your desk, saving you time and significantly lowering the chances of a bad hire. 4. Don’t forget the Reference Check It’s easy to overlook this step, but references can provide crucial insights into a candidate’s work ethic, technical abilities, and overall performance in previous roles. Ask specific questions about how they handled deadlines, teamwork, and problem-solving. If they weren’t a good fit somewhere else, that’s a red flag you can’t ignore. 5. Focus on Retention Once you’ve found the right person, do everything you can to retain them. Providing competitive salaries, career development opportunities, and a positive work environment is crucial to ensuring your best people stick around. A high turnover rate only increases your chances of a bad hire down the line. The Bottom Line A bad hire in architecture and engineering can do more than burn a hole in your pocket—it can derail projects, damage team morale, and even jeopardise your company’s reputation. However, by investing in a robust recruitment process, prioritising both skills and cultural fit, and partnering with industry experts, you can minimise the risks and ensure that every hire strengthens your team. At Vivid Recruitment , we understand the unique challenges faced by architecture and engineering firms. With our industry expertise and targeted recruitment strategies, we help you find the right fit every time. Because in this industry, you can’t afford to get it wrong. If you need a han d with your recruitment and hires, get in touch!