The Best (and Worst) Questions Asked by Interviewees

By Lin Grensing-Pophal

 

 

“Do you have any questions for us?”
If you’ve landed an interview, you know that question is coming. One thing is certain: “Nope, I think you’ve covered everything” is the wrong response. That kiss-of-death answer can communicate a lack of interest in the position and a lack of preparation.
our interviewers expect you to ask intelligent questions, and may even make a hiring decision based on what you ask. Part of your interview prep should include thinking of effective questions to ask your interviewer. The questions should be well-thought-out and pertinent and should convey a positive impression of you. Sarah Hulsey, talent manager with Rising Medical Solutions Inc. in Chicago, says: “I expect interviewees to have some questions for us. In fact, if they come to the interview unprepared, it definitely detracts from their viability as a candidate.” Some good questions she’s received include:

• “How does your company perceive its culture?”
• “Can you describe the relationship between the hiring manager and the team?”
• “What sort of culture initiatives does your company engage in to motivate and keep employees?” Stephanie Daniel, a career transition expert and vice president at Keystone Associates, a career management company with offices in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, offers some additional suggestions:
• “Is there a work issue that keeps you up at night? And, given what you know about my background, is there a way I could help address it?”
• “What is the most gratifying aspect of the work you do for the company?”
• “I’m sure you have a number of goals you’d like to achieve in the coming year. Do you have a particular one that is top priority?”
• “How would you describe the top performers in this company?” Tracy McCarthy, senior vice president of HR at SilkRoad Technology, a talent management firm headquartered in Chicago, recommends asking what your performance would be rated on and how soon you would be rated. “Not many people ask this,” McCarthy says, “but it is a great question to ensure that the candidate understands what the performance criteria are. It also shows that the candidate is focused on and motivated to meet metrics and performance expectations.” Remember how your teachers told you there’s no such thing as a bad question? In an interview setting, that’s not entirely true. Among the questions that are likely to turn off your interviewers:
• “Do I have to pass a drug test to take this job?”
• “What kind of vacation leave do you offer, and how soon after you’re hired can you start taking it?”
• “How do raises work here?”
• “Could you tell me about your work/life balance policy?”

Questions like these, or any others that are related to pay, benefits or personal perks, should be held for discussion after an offer is made.
In addition, avoid asking questions that you could have (and should have!) easily found the answers to through your research about the company. With all of the information available today via the Internet and social media, there is no excuse to ask basic questions such as “Could you tell me more about what your company does?”

http://www.shrm.org/HRCareers/Pages/0112questions.aspx