This is one of those guaranteed interview questions that can be very tricky to perfect.
Without a doubt, you have already been in an interview where someone asked you, “Do you have any questions for me?”
Did you freeze up?
Did you say, “Nope, no questions.”
Or did you ask a question that maybe you wish you never asked?
Whatever the case is, after reading this article you are going to be able to answer this question like a seasoned pro!
I am going to break down this answer into two categories:
- For the inexperienced interviewee.
- For the advanced interviewee.
If you are in a hurry, skip down to our “Summing up the do’s and don’ts” section below.
Let’s get started.
Inexperienced interviewee
Are you completely new to the whole interviewing process?
If so, then I highly recommend that you prepare for the interview in advance.
(This is a good idea even for the interviewing pros).
You can do this by thinking of some well-thought-out questions that you could ask the interviewer.
Write them down on your notepad and bring them into the interview.
Some questions you might consider include:
- What do you love most about this company?
- What kind of a career roadmap can I expect in this position?
- What's the biggest struggle amongst members of this team?
- What's the most rewarding part of your day?
- What would you expect of me in terms of performance on a day-to-day basis?
Avoid making your first question about pay, benefits, perks, etc.
If your first question is about salary, the hiring manager is going to think that that is all you thought about the entire time.
Show interest in the company and the position by asking a question like the ones above.
By showing interest, you are also communicating:
- that you want a better picture of what work at this company is like.
- that you are already picturing some sort of future with this company.
- that you see this job as more than just a paycheck.
For more entry-level advice learn How To Apply For Entry Level Jobs.
Experienced interviewee
Now for the more experienced interviewees.
Being asked, “Do you have any questions for me?” is going to set you apart from your competition.
Don’t walk in with a list of generic questions.
You know that’s what everybody else is going to do.
Instead, pay attention throughout the entire interview.
Take a mental note whenever the hiring manager says something that:
- is interesting to you.
- you can tell it is something that he/she is very passionate about.
- leaves more questions than answers.
Now it’s your turn to shine.
Now when you are asked if you have any questions, you’ll be ready.
Let them know that you are interested in learning more about whatever topic they brought up during the interview.
Expressing your interest in something that was important enough for them to bring up during the interview is key.
By doing this, you are sure to hit a sweet spot with the hiring manager.
You will score points by showing that you were paying attention and that your interests align with those of the company.
Why do interviewers ask this question?
It’s practically customary for interviewers and hiring managers to ask this question to wrap-up an interview.
Why do they ask this?
Think of an interview as a conversation.
It’s a space where you and your hiring manager are learning about each other.
It just so happens that the interviewer is learning more about you then you are about them.
Why?
Because chances are, you already know a lot about this position.
Maybe you got this information from the company website, job posting, or maybe you’re just familiar with this type of role.
However, you are probably lacking information about this particular position with this company.
Interviewers ask this question exactly to see if you have any questions about the company or anything they mentioned.
They also ask this also for the reasons we mentioned above:
- To see if you’re interested
- To see if you were paying attention
- To see if you can answer with something other than stunned silence or, “No questions.”
In the spirit of this type of conversation that is the interview, do you’re best not to ask a “yes” or “no” question.
This doesn’t encourage conversation and you won’t learn very much.
If you want to prepare for other interview questions, check out 50 Top Job Interview Questions and Answers.
Summing up the do’s and don’ts
If you’re in a hurry and need some quick pointers, here are some things to keep in mind.
When asked, “Do you have any questions for me?” by the interviewer, do not ask:
- What’s the pay like?
- What are the hours like?
- Do I get a bonus at the end of the year?
- Who should I avoid in the office?
- Do you have a favorite employee?
Some questions you should ask (learn more in the “Inexperienced Interviewee” section above):
- What do you love most about this company?
- What kind of a career roadmap can I expect in this position?
- What's the biggest struggle amongst members of this team?
- What's the most rewarding part of your day?
- What would you expect of me in terms of performance on a day-to-day basis?
The key is the ask with the intention to show interest, not to learn what’s in it for you.
Need some help?
Now that you are a pro at answering, "Do you have any questions for me"? ... put your knowledge into practice!
Hopefully, at this point, you already have a ton of interviews lined up.
If not, we would be more than happy to help get you on the right track.
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