A good, incisive question on your part will give the interviewer the impression that you did your homework, know your stuff, and have a good understanding of the position that you are applying for. On the other hand, a poor question will give your interview a weak finish, and will linger with the interviewer.
In your preparations for any job interview, it is critical that you come up with 3-5 potential questions to ask your interviewers at the end of the session. You will not necessarily ask all those questions; two is more than sufficient. But some of your potential questions may get answered during the course of the interview, and others may appear irrelevant once you have more information. You should discard these questions; otherwise you will give the interviewer the impression that you weren’t pay attention or understanding what was going on. That is why you should come up with more questions than you really need – so you have something to ask no matter how the interview goes.
As the job interview goes along, you might think of additional questions to ask. That’s great – it shows that you are absorbing and processing information, and are vested in the outcome. If you have a pad and pen in front of you and can write the question down without interrupting the flow of the interview, fantastic. If not, hopefully you will remember the question at the end. Don’t spend any energy in trying to recall the question, however; that is why you came prepared with potential questions to ask.
Good questions are specific to the job and organization. They show an understanding of the subject matter (For instance, “What are your plans regarding XYZ upcoming regulation?”) or your interest in understanding the job (“How does the job you are hiring for relate to this other branch of the organization?”). Some topics make for poor questions. Do not ask about the pay, vacation time, or benefits. There will be time to get details and possibly haggle later, if you get a job offer.
If you cannot get enough information on the organization or position to tailor specific questions, here are some generic questions you can safely ask at most job interviews:
- How would you describe your organizational culture? A job interview is often a two-way street; you are checking the prospective employer out, too. The answer to this question can help you determine whether you really would want to work at the place, assuming you get a job offer.
- What happens next in the hiring process? The response to this question can give you an idea of how many other candidates they are interviewing, whether there will be a second interview, how quickly they plan on making hiring decisions, etc. This will also help you determine when and whether it is appropriate to do any follow-up to the interview.
- What type of candidate are you looking for? This will give you an idea of your prospects for securing the job, and, in the worst case scenario, can help you prepare for future interviews at other jobs.
If the interview has been exceptionally thorough and you honestly can’t think of any question to ask, then say so. Try something like “You have covered all the ground I could have hoped for. I don’t have any questions at the moment, but I do have a lot to process. If something occurs to me later on, can I get in touch with you?”
Good luck.
