What questions do you have for me?
We’re all familiar with the question that typically comes towards the end of a job interview: “What questions do you have for me?” Sometimes, coming up with meaningful questions can feel like the most stressful part of an interview. There’s a sudden internal monologue of: “If I don’t ask questions, does it seem like I’m not interested? If I ask the question I actually want to ask, will it seem like I didn’t do my homework? I want to ask about a certain policy/vacation time/if they have sick time, but if I ask that at the interview, will it seem like I’m already wanting a day off?”
The truth of the matter is, there really is no right or wrong here. Not having questions doesn’t necessarily mean you’re not interested, but if you’re concerned, a comment like, “I feel as though everything has been explained well, so at this moment, I cannot think of anything. Are you open to a call or email should something come to me later?” will solidify this in the mind of your interviewer. Likewise, asking questions will seldom lead to your interviewer feeling as though you didn’t prepare adequately for the interview.
A Word of Caution
Some job candidates will jokingly say “So, when do I start?” or something to that effect, and I would recommend against that. It puts your interviewer in an awkward position, because they don’t really know how to answer. I’ve seen several examples of other things to ask instead, but in my opinion, the best question to ask is, “What else can I provide you to help with next steps?” or “When do you anticipate having a decision on this position?” These are questions that show you’re eager to hear back from them, but understand that there may still be some additional deciding factors. The first question, for example, may prompt them to ask for references. Asking questions about when they expect to have decisions made also gives you some insight on when it is appropriate to reconnect if you haven’t received any communication.
Ask questions you have, or don’t ask questions, it’s up to you. Remember, the chances of a company ruling to hire someone based on whether or not they asked questions in the interview is not very high. At the end of the day, don’t be afraid to go with your gut!
How do you feel about asking questions in a job interview? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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This blog post was written by Ashley Wulf.
