“Do you have any questions for me?”
Story time!
Whenever I interview anyone, whether it’s for a job or for college admissions, there is one question that I care about more than any other: “Do you have any questions for me?”
Diving into the question
I feel like interviewers typically save this question to the very end, but I try to work it into the conversation about ¾ of the way through. That doesn’t mean that I’m done asking my own questions as an interviewer, but I want to make it clear to whomever I’m speaking to that they should feel free to jump in at any point.
Universally speaking, I believe that curious people are the greatest additions to any community or team. If someone is able to ask good questions in an interview, it is likely that they will continue to ask questions and think creatively once they have the position. Curiosity is one of the primary features of any interviewee’s personality that I screen for.
Furthermore, many people forget that an interview is as much of an opportunity for the interviewee to learn about the interviewer/the company/the university as it is the other way around. When you are being interviewed, you should take the chance to discern whether the position would be a good fit for you. Speaking with someone who is involved in the organization is the perfect time to try and get a sense of that.
Remember, interviewers are trying to woo you, too. And I find that, when interviewees ask me questions, I learn a great deal about what it is that they are looking for. When the questions are more specific, they signal to me what that person finds important - what they care about in their work environment, their goals for their future, how they feel most supported in a team, etc. I can then dedicate some extra attention during our time together to addressing their priorities.
Asking solid questions to your interviewer provides strong signals about your wants and needs; however, not asking questions says just as much, if not more. In a bad way. If you show up to an interview without any questions for your interviewer, that gives the impression that you are underprepared and that you don’t care. When I ask if my interviewee has any questions for me and they say “no,” even if the rest of the interview was excellent, I immediately doubt whether they are a fit. If you are interviewing for any kind of position at all, there are undoubtedly things that you don’t know. Ask about them! Being aware of what you don’t know is an asset.
What makes this question so effective?
Test for curiosity ✅
People want curious people on their team who are going to help propel them forward. Asking good questions in an interview demonstrates this ability.
Gets interviewees to signal their priorities and preferences ✅
In this case, a question may be worth a thousand answers. 😉When someone asks you a question about the position you’re interviewing them for, it gives you a strong indication of what they care about most.
Shows that they care enough to do a bit of homework ✅
When interviewees ask about something specific to your company/university/personal career background, it shows that they have spent time preparing for the conversation.
Disclaimers and notes:
If you are being interviewed, there are some questions that you probably shouldn’t ask because they send the wrong signal. For instance, if you’re interviewing for a job, you shouldn’t ask about vacation days straight off the bat. This indicates to your interviewer that what you care most about is not working, and you most likely will not be an especially dedicated employee.
Avoid questions that are too open-ended and generic. This makes it seem like you haven’t done your research, and it’ll leave your interviewer feeling bored and uninspired.
This may seem counterintuitive considering my previous point, but if you go through an interview, and you find that you ask a question that your interviewer gets particularly excited about, keep it! Chances are, that was a great question that you could potentially adapt to a different interview later down the line. Having a “Question Bank” makes your life easier if you need to generate questions on the spot; that way, you’re never unprepared.