As with all the questions you ask an interviewer, this one makes you look good as a candidate while simultaneously giving you useful information about the company. This question makes you look good because you show that you already understand a bit about the company, you’ve done your homework about its competitors, and you’re proactively trying to wrap your head around the industry. The answer you get back is important because you get to see how the current management and leadership team think about their place in the competitive landscape.
Source: The Big Interview Blog run by Pamela Skillings
Have you asked this question? How did it go? Do you have advice for how best to ask it? PLEASE RATE! AND WRITE A REVIEW (in the comment box below)!
My only hesitation about this one, is that you are demonstrating that you didn’t do your research well. I would assume my new hire should know who my competitors are. Perhaps the question could be “can you tell me a little be about competitor X? what edge do you think you have on them? What new plans to outperform?” etc.