Okay, I promised a reader that I would compose a post on this subject, and eventhough he probably thinks I’ve forgotten,
Office 2010 Professional Plus X86, I haven’t. See?
One of the most mysterious questions of any interview is usually the last one asked … “Do you have any questions for me?” Wow. What a loaded question! What do you say? Is it a test? Is it a genuine request for inquiries? Who knows!
Well, unfortunately, I don’t have a clear-cut answer to this question. I’ve yet to figure it out myself. The best advice I can give is that the motive behind the question and the way in which you should respond really varies from interviewer to interviewer and situation to situation.
Let me give you a couple examples.
As a recruiter, I always end my interviews with, “Do you have any questions for me?” Since my job is to not only evaluate interviewees but to also ensure they are well-informed and prepared for the next steps in the process, my intent is 100% genuine when asking this question. I really, really, really want to know if the candidate has any questions – silly or not. It’s okay to lay your questions on me; it’s also okay to say you don’t have any questions if you truly don’t have any. I’m not judging; I’m just trying to ensure the candidate feels comfortable with the information provided to that point.
On the flipside, I’ve read many an interview feedback report that says something like, “At the end of the interview, I asked the candidate if he had any questions. He said he thought he knew everything so far and didn’t seem eager to come up with any interesting questions. I’m not sure how passionate he really is about this job.” First, I can’t say I agree with judging someone the quality and quantity of questions candidates asked. Interviews are stressful and energy-zapping, and it’s no surprise that creative juices can be zapped by the end of an interrogation. But at the same time, some interviewers (especially what I’ll call peer or hiring managers interviewers … i.e. not the HR person) really want to see how well you can engage in free-form dialogue and exhibit your enthusiasm for the job.
So it’s really a toss-up.
I’m the first to admit that, as an interviewee, I’m not the best at thinking of good questions for the “Do you have any questions for me?” portion of the interview, but here are a few tips that have helped me:
When speaking with a recruiter or HR person, ask questions to ensure you understand the job, process,
office Ultimate 2007, etc. This is your time to ask the silly questions and gather all the information you need.
When speaking with a peer or hiring manager interviewer, ask questions to ensure you show interest, passion,
Office 2010 Professional Key, engagement, etc. Try asking questions that may prompt the interviewer to talk about his/herself or the technology the team works on. i.e. “What do you enjoy most about your job?” or ”I’m so interested in technology XYZ. Did you know much about that before you joined the team,
office 2007 professional plus key, or did you learn it once you joined?”
Prepare stock question in advance. Reuse them. Thinking of questions on the spot can be tough so come in armed with some back-ups. Ones I like include: “What do you see as the greatest challenge facing your team in the next year?” and again the one from above: “What do you enjoy most about your job?” It’s ok to ask every interviewer the same stock questions. Think of it as a calibration exercise.
Don’t ask, “How did I do?” That makes everyone uncomfortable, and you are rarely going to get a straight answer. It’s best just to avoid this one.
Don’t ask a peer or hiring manager interviewer questions related to compensation. Save that for the recruiter or HR person.
Don’t make up questions just for the sake of asking questions. I feel so bad for candidates who seem surprised by the “Do you have any questions for me?” question and then struggle to think of something … anything! If you truly don’t have any questions and are just asking a question to fill a void, don’t.
And finally, and I really like this one …
Ask if it’s ok to contact the interviewer with additional questions later. Say something like, “You know, I am really trying to process all the information I’ve learned today,
Office Standard 2010, and I know that I will think of more questions when I get home. Would it be okay for me to e-mail you later if I think of something else to ask?” This question accomplishes three goals: 1. It shows you are passionate, curious, etc. 2. It enables you to ask a question later if you think of one. And you in all probability will. 3. It allows you to take home your interviewer’s business card so you can build your professional network later, even if you don’t get the job.
While not a concise and straight-forward answer, I hope this publish begins to clear up the mystery a bit. Now, do you have any additional questions for me?
gretchen
office 2007 professional plus key blog do-you-have
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