Imagine it: you are at the job interview for the perfect role. You have charmed the hiring manager with your stories, remembered all of the quantifiable accomplishments on your resume, and answered all of her questions with confidence and style. It’s time to tie this one up with a bow.
Any questions?
You would think that the hard part is over. Here is where you don’t need to know the answers, only have good questions to ask. Do you have good questions? Have you planned them and run them by a trusted friend?
Here are some questions that will pass muster and some you should put aside:
Do:
- Ask a question based on your research about the company. Choose two qualities of its culture and ask which is the most important.
- Ask what changes they would like to see in the role going forward. Maybe something in your skillset will help that change take place.
- Ask what the first priority will be for the person hired. If that person is you, you will have some training and orientation time, but a chance to think about what your first project could be should help you make the transition successfully.
Don’t:
- Ask about benefits until you have an offer. I know and they know that benefits are an important part of the package, but in the interview, what you bring to the table is what’s under discussion, not what they bring. Wait.
- Ask about telecommuting. Again, this is a significant factor for your work/life balance, but unless it is a deal-breaker, wait until you are settled in and know that you could make it work before asking if you can work offsite.
- Decline to ask anything. Lack of curiosity about the company will turn off any interviewer.
This part of an interview generally comes at the end, so what you do here is the last thing the hiring manager will remember when it’s over. Don’t waste this opportunity to put your own spin on their impression of you.
Wendy Stackhouse for Artisan Creative