Do You Have Any Questions for Me?
Do You Have Any Questions for Me?
“Do you have any questions for me?” Don’t get stumped by this common interview question! Answer “no”, and you might as well start looking for another job. So why do interviewers ask if you have any questions? They want to find out three important things:
- Did you do your homework about the position and the company?
- Are you really interested in the job?
- How are your conversational skills and thought processes?
And, since you could possibly be working at this company, it’s in your best interest to ask as many questions as possible so that you know exactly what to expect. Here are some examples of what you might want to ask…
To find out more about the company:
- Where do you see the company headed?
- What will the company be like five years from now?
- Can you describe the company culture?
- How do you stay ahead of the competition?
- Where do you see this industry headed?
- What is turnover like?
Interviewer questions:
- What do you like about working here?
- How long have you been working here?
- If you could change or improve anything, what would it be?
To find out more about your position:
- Is this a new position? If so, why was this position created?
- Describe a typical work week/day in this position.
- How many people work in this department?
- Can you show me an organizational structure chart or give me an idea about the chain of command?
- How will my performance be measured? By whom?
- Will I be given periodic reviews?
- How would you describe the responsibilities of this position?
- What is the management style like?
- What are the opportunities for advancement?
- What is the company’s policy on providing seminars, workshops, and training so employees can keep up their skills or acquire new ones?
Work-life balance and other expectations:
- How much travel is expected?
- What are the typical hours like?
- Is overtime expected?
- Is relocation a possibility?
Follow-up questions:
- If I am offered a position, when would I be expected to start?
- What are the next steps in the hiring process?
- When should I expect that you’d be making your decision?
- Is there anything else that you’d like to know?
And NEVER ask these questions:
- Questions that can easily be answered by checking the employer’s website or any other literature that has been provided to you before the interview.
- Salary and benefit information, unless the employer brings up the topic.
| References:
Doyle, Alison. “Your Guide to Job Searching: Interview Questions and Answers.” http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interviewquestionsanswers/a/interviewquest2.htm |