16 Questions to Ask When Interviewing for a Self Storage Job

Interviewing for a self storage job—or any job, for that matter—can be nerve wracking. You want to make a great impression and show that you are the best candidate. So, dress well, brush your teeth, and consider the following.

Why should you ask questions in the first place? The storage facility needs to know if you will do a good job, but you’ll find out what you need to know when you start, right?

The truth is, your interviewer will want you to ask questions about the storage facility. It shows that you have an inquisitive mind and that you’re interested in the facility and the job. You should also ask questions to find out if a career in self storage is right for you.

Here are questions we recommend asking, some specific to self storage, some more general:

Questions About the Storage Facility

You can learn a lot about working at the storage facility from the interviewer. You have a person right there with experience. Use that.

1. How long have you worked here? This is a good ice-breaker for follow up questions.

2. What’s the best thing about working here? Perhaps what they like best won’t be your favorite thing, but you may get a sense of what you will like.

3. What’s your management style like, and what do you expect from me? This is a great question to let them know you want to be on board with they way they do things.

Questions About the Job

It can help to know certain things about the job before you accept it, should they offer it to you.

1. Why is this job open now? If the position is new, that tells you that the business is growing.

2. Whom will I report to? If you’re not sure if the person interviewing you is your manager or not, this will help answer that question. This is especially appropriate if you’re interviewing with a human resources representative.

3. What’s the key to succeeding in this job? This question shows that you want to succeed, and that you value the interviewer’s input.

4. What’s the hardest, busiest time of day, and what’s it like? Here, you’re letting the interviewer know that you’re up for a challenge and want to know what to expect.

5. What are your policies on overtime? The facility may expect you to work overtime hours, or, they may want you to clock out and stop working right at the eight hour mark.

6. Where do you see the storage facility in five years? Frequently, interviewers ask, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” They want to get a sense if you’ll be an employee who will stick around. This question lets them know that you’re interested in the company’s growth and that you’re already looking toward your place in it in the future.

Self Storage Specific Questions

1. How do you handle worksite safety? This will help you determine what the storage facility is doing to keep employees safe. The answer should include a bit about driving the golf cart, safely closing and locking roll-up doors, handcart usage, stacking inventory, and using cleaning chemicals.

2. What sort of security systems do you have in place? All self storage facility employees should understand how the security systems work, even if they don’t work directly with them.

3. How do you monitor the security systems? This will let you know about alarms, watching the video screens, and so on.

4. What do I do if I witness a crime or a violation of the rules on-site? Just as it will be important to learn safety rules when you start, it will be important to know how to deal with people sleeping in their units, tenants behaving badly, and any crime on-site that you may witness. Asking during your interview shows that you’re serious about doing the right thing.

Closing Questions

While interviewing, you know that the facility is probably reviewing other candidates, and they know that you’re probably interviewing with other companies. The following questions can help you know what to expect next, which can put your mind at ease.

1. When will I hear back from you? If you’re expecting to hear back in a few days, and they tell you two weeks, then you can adjust your expectations.

2. What is the best way to keep in touch? With this question, you can learn if you should call after a few days, or email. You can follow up by asking whom you should get in touch with.

3. When do you expect to make an offer? Notice that you’re not asking specifically when they will make you an offer, just when they will make an offer. Whether they hire you or not, they will let you know.

Now that you have some solid questions to ask your interviewer, memorize or jot them down in a notepad. Again, you needn’t ask them all—in fact, that would make for a long interview! Ask what seems most important to you, end with a handshake, and best of luck landing the job!