Page 32 - 201 Best Questions To Ask On Your Interview

WHY YOU HAVE TO QUESTION

panies. “It makes me crazy when I ask a candidate if they have any ques-
tions and they respond with either ‘No, you have answered them al-
ready’ or ‘How many vacation days does your client give?’
“There are so many things you can screw up in a job interview, and
not asking thoughtful questions when you have the opportunity is prob-
ably the biggest one. Interviewers want to know how candidates collect
information, and the easiest way to know that is by listening to candi-
dates ask questions,” Trainer says.
“This is a real chance for a candidate to shine and set themselves
apart from all the other job seekers. When I am prepping a candidate to
go on an interview, I usually give them two or three very pointed ques-
tions to ask in the interview, and then we talk about another three for
them to formulate,” she adds. Her two favorites:

In what area could your team use a little polishing?

Why did you come to XZY Company?

“The questions you ask, and how you ask them, do as much to differ-
entiate you from the competition as the questions asked by the inter-
viewer,” Trainer insists. As you prepare for the job interview, your
questions have to be as carefully coordinated as your suit and shoes. If
you miss the opportunity to leave your interviewer with any one of these
impressions, you risk losing the main prize.
Thoughtful questions emphasize that you are taking an active role in
the job selection process, not leaving the interviewer to do all the work.
Active is good. Great questions demonstrate that, far from being a pas-
sive participant, you are action-oriented and engaged, reinforcing your
interest in the job.
Asking questions is an excellent way to demonstrate your sophisti-
cation and qualifications. The questions you choose indicate your depth
of knowledge of your field as well as your general level of intelligence.
Asking questions also enables you to break down the formal inter-
viewer-candidate relationship, establish an easy flow of conversation,
and build trust and rapport. The matter of rapport is critical. Remem-
ber, most finalists for a job are more or less evenly matched in terms of
qualifications. What gives the winning candidate the nod is rapport.

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