Lets say you have reached the end of an interview and the person interviewing you asks if you have any questions for them, what should you say? Don’t ever say no! Asking questions shows that you have prepared and done your research on the company. You want to have 3-5 questions prepared for them. Its a great idea to bring these written on a notepad so you don’t forget them! I know it can be tricky to think of questions, so lets walk through some common guidelines to follow when preparing these.
First of all, what should we avoid asking? Don’t ask anything that you can find on their website. Asking questions like “What is your mission statement” show that you haven’t spent time looking into the company as that information is likely on their website. If it is a first interview, do not ask about salary or other benefits. This might show that you care more about the money than the position, so save these for a second interview.
So what are the things you can ask abut? You can ask questions about the company in general which could be about their culture or potential growth. You can ask about the team you would be working with. You can ask what qualities they are looking or in a candidate. This is also a great time to ask any clarifying questions about the job role that you might have! Some of my favorite questions to ask are:
- What type of relationship do you see between members of the team?
- What changes or growth do you see happening within this department in the next few years?
- What is your favorite part about working here?
- Do you offer any opportunities for training and further advancement?
- What is the number one quality you are looking for in employees?
I know these can be difficult to think of which is why we are here to help. Make an appointment with us or stop by Ceres 306 anytime to get help creating/reviewing these questions. The Career and Advising Center wants you to ace that interview and we are here to provide you with all the prep you need for success!
