Questions to ask during an interview
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EmailWhat types of questions are appropriate to ask during an interview?
The interview process is a two-way street; be prepared to ask questions. At the end of an interview you may be asked, “Do you have any questions?” or “What can I answer for you?” This is your opportunity to ask questions related to the specific opportunity or position, about the company, training, advancement or when you could expect to hear back from the interviewer. Michigan State University Extension’s 4-H Career Education webpages provides a resource, “Winning Job Interviews,” to assist you with what type of questions to ask.
Do a little research about the company before going to the interview. Most companies now have websites. Show you’ve done your homework by mentioning things you’ve learned on their website.
Here are some sample questions you could ask if their responses aren’t already covered in the interview:
- When can I expect to hear back from you?
- What will be expected of me as an employee?
- Once I’m hired, who will I report to?
- What are the typical hours I will work?
- Will there be any overtime?
- How many people will I be working with?
- What kind of training will I receive?
- How will I know if I’m doing the job right?
- Are there positions for me to advance to?
- My family is taking a vacation the last week in June. Would I be able to join them for part of that time?
- Will I need to buy uniforms or provide myself with anything special?
- If you don’t have the interviewer’s contact information, ask for it. Make sure you have the correct spelling of their name.
About.com’s Job Searching resource also has a list of relevant questions that could be asked during an interview for a job. Remember the questions should be related to the position, the company, advancement and training, not about benefits or financials at this point.
