Common Interview Question: Have You Had Any Questions Come Up Since the Last Interview?

We mention time and time again that it is important to ask questions at your job interview. As long as your questions are intelligent and make the interviewer think, they are good questions. You can ask questions in the beginning, the middle, at the end of your interview – you can even ask questions with your interview answers. There may be a difference between good and bad questions, but as long as the question is good, it will always benefit your shot at employment.

That said, there are a few ways to improve your chances a little bit more. If you are invited to a second interview, and you are asked if any questions have come up, some questions will give you even more bonus points than others.

How to Answer

Obviously you can ask any question you want here. However, the best questions are going to be as follows:

• Questions that show you researched the products further.
• Questions that show you researched the position further.
• Questions that show you researched the company culture further.

These three types of questions are best. You benefit less from questions that came up BECAUSE of the last interview, because the interviewer may wonder why you didn’t ask at your first interview or during the thank you letter. Also, questions that are unrelated to either the first interview or further research can be saved for a more opportune time. The three examples above are the best types of questions to ask.

Bad Answer

“A few. Can you tell me more about [something that they said last interview or random, unrelated question]?”

Good Answer

“A few. Can you tell me more about [something you researched between interviews, either about the company, its culture, or its products]?”

Take Away Interview Tips

• Good questions will always be good questions.
• However, if you are asked about questions that came up during the last interview, there are better questions you can ask.

5 Bad Questions You Should Never Ask at Job Interviews

Asking questions is important. It shows you have interest in the company. It shows that you have intelligent thoughts. It shows that you are not simply looking for “any” job, but rather the right job for you.

Yet not all questions are beneficial questions. There are a variety of questions that will make you look like a bad candidate, and will make it difficult for you to get the job. Below are five examples of questions you should not ask at your job interview.

Bad Questions to Ask

• What are the hours for the position?

With the exception of retail jobs, this is a terrible question. Your job is not going to be based on hours, even if you are an hourly employee. Your job is going to be based on getting your work completed. Salary employees don’t work on “hours.” They work on projects. Sometimes you will need to stay late and sometimes you will need to come in early. You should be available for any of those, and not ask it at the interview.

• How does your company feel about changing departments/roles?

Companies like to see that you are committed to sticking with the company and moving up in its ranks. They do not want to hear that you either want to do it soon or that you are already tired of working in a position you do not have. Asking about “growth opportunities” is a plus. Asking about leaving your current role to do a completely different one is not.

• Does your company offer maternity leave?

“Dear interviewer: There is a pretty good chance that within a year of hiring me I will need to take paid time off for about 6 months or more, and afterward I am probably going to come into work extremely tired and grumpy. Hope that’s okay. Hire me soon!” Yeah, don’t ask about any benefits, let alone maternity leave.

• Is there a designated smoking area?

No interviewer wants to hear that you may need to go outside for a smoke every five minutes. There are numerous stats that show that heavy smokers often do less work than their non-smoking counterparts. While this may not be true of you, or perhaps you are not a heavy smoker, this question will cause the interviewer to worry.

• Does your company drug test its employees?

There is literally no way that the employer can answer this that you will like, and there is no way they are going to take a risk on you once you ask this question. If you do drugs, you should probably avoid this question. If you don’t, then it’s weird of you to ask it.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Don’t ask questions that have negative implications.

Risky Questions You Might Want to Ask at Your Job Interview, Part 3

Over the last two posts, we have reviewed several examples of risky questions to ask at a job interview, including what makes them risky and how they can both benefit and harm your chances of winning the job.

Showing you these questions will hopefully give you a chance to consider them during your job interview. Yet it is hard to say when it is worth asking such risky questions. Below, we will take a look at the best times to take risks, the best time to avoid risks, and how to use your own judgment.

When to Avoid Risks

Avoiding risks is a good strategy for job interviews that are going very well. There is no reason to risk harming a good thing – if you are rocking your interview, you probably don’t want to focus on your negatives by asking where you may have failed or if the interviewer has doubts. You don’t them to think about the doubts. You just want them to remember your amazing interview. The only risk worth taking when your interview is going to well is asking about a salary range, and only when it is apparent they are going to hire you.

When to Take Risks

When your interview is going poorly, or you are fairly certain they are not going to hire you, taking risks is more acceptable. You have little to lose and a lot to gain. It may be harder to ask such bold questions during a bad interview, but it may be something you want to try.

When to Consider Risks

When your interview is going fine, then you need to consider the type of interviewer, the type of person you are, and whether or not you believe you can respond to those doubts, etc.

• Does the interviewer seem like someone that will appreciate your boldness?
• Do you have the communication skills necessary to respond to any criticism?
• Do you have the emotional stability necessary to handle these risks?
• Are you actually a good fit for the job?

Only if the answer to all of these questions is “yes” should you consider asking risky questions, especially questions about how well you did at the interview and whether or not the interviewer has any doubts. Those that cannot handle the answer or expect to do a poor job responding should not take as many risks as the applicants that are great debaters and conversationalists.

Asking Risky Questions

There are different types of risky questions that can be asked at different points in your interview. Before asking any risky question, make sure that you believe the interviewer will appreciate the question and that you can handle your own response to whatever the interviewer says. If either of those are not true, don’t ask the question. If they are, it may be something to consider when your interview has not been perfect.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Don’t take huge risks during great interviews.
• Take huge risks during terrible interviews.
• Consider many factors before you ask risky questions.
• Make sure you can handle anything said as a result of the question.

Risky Questions You Might Want to Ask at Your Job Interview, Part 2

In the last post, we introduced risky questions. Risky questions are questions that will have a different outcome depending on the personality of the interviewer. There is no way to know for certain if the interviewer will appreciate or dislike the question. For some it will be worth the risk. For others it will not be. Below are some examples of risky, but possibly beneficial, job interview questions to ask.

Risky Question Examples

• “Do you have any additional doubts about my candidacy that I have not addressed?”

At the end of your interview, you have the option of addressing any doubts the interviewer has. This is a risky question. On the one hand, the interviewer may applaud your initiative and the answers you give will reduce those doubts, thus improving your chances of getting the job. On the other hand, you are forcing the interviewer to focus on your negatives, and you may not have any answers that satisfy their doubts.

• “Where do I stand in comparison to the other applicants?”

This is another risky question. To some, this question makes you look confident, and they will applaud your willingness to ask a question that may have a negative answer. You may also have a chance to alleviate any of their doubts. On the flip side, you may not get an answer you like, or the interviewer is uncomfortable with being asked such a question, or the interviewer has not interviewed anyone else yet, making the question awkward.

• “What salary range is your company offering?”

This is a great question, but it comes with its own downsides. The company may be stubborn about giving you a number, and if they are stubborn it can lead to a very awkward back and forth as you try not to give them a number until they give you a number and vice versa. The question itself is fantastic, but it can lead to a troublesome outcome with some companies. You might be asking for trouble.

Other examples of risky questions include:

• “Is there anything I can do or learn between now and then to improve my candidacy?”
• “Would you be interested in hiring me on a trial basis for 2 weeks?
• “Is there anything I have said that you believe may affect how well I fit your company’s vision?”

Most risky interview questions are about the job interview, though some – like the salary question – are risky questions because of how the employer may answer them. In the next post, we will provide our thoughts on when you might want to take that risk, and when you should definitely steer away from it.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Some questions are inherently risky.
• Sometimes you might want to take that risk.

Risky Questions You Might Want to Ask at Your Job Interview, Part 1

Asking questions at the job interview is extremely important. It shows you have interest in the company. It shows that you are an inquisitive person. It shows that you have intelligence. It shows that you are looking for a company that suits your needs, just as you need to suit there’s.

Yet this isn’t elementary school. There is such thing as a stupid question. You can easily ask a question that harms your chances of getting the job, such as:

• So what is it you guys do?
• Where can I find out if that secretary is single?
• Would I get fired if I take sick leave when I’m not sick?
• What is that disgusting thing on your face?
• Does this job come with bathroom privileges?

All questions are not created equal. Questions generally come in three categories:

• Good questions.
• Neutral questions.
• Bad questions.

Both good and neutral questions are great to ask at your job interview. Good questions will impress the interviewer and improve your chances of getting the job. Neutral questions may not impress your interviewer, but the mere fact that you asked them may still help you get the job. Bad questions, as it is implied, will harm your chances of getting the job. In general, most questions to ask at a job interview are one of these three.

Risky Questions

Today, we would like to introduce a new category of questions – risky questions. Risky questions are, as the name implies, risky. They are questions that can benefit your interview greatly, or harm the interview depending on who is interviewing you. Because these questions are risky, we can’t advise you to ask them. It’s completely up to you. All we can do is tell you what the questions are, how they may benefit you, and how they may harm your chances.

In the next post, we’ll take a look at some risky questions and what makes them risky.

Take Away Interview Tips

• There is such thing as a bad question.
• Risky questions can have either outcome.

Questions You Should Never Ask at the Job Interview Part 3

Continuing in our series of the questions you should not ask at the job interview, we will look at more of the questions that give away negative qualities about you that could impact your ability to get the job.

More Bad Questions to Ask at the Interview

Question: “Will you be able to train me to use [skill listed on resume]?”

Interviewer Hears: “Remember when I said I knew that one thing that I said I knew? Yeah, I lied. You know what else I liked about? No, you don’t. But I bet you are worrying now aren’t you? Hahaha, you are in for a treat!”

Question: “What is your policy on inter-office dating?”

Interviewer Hears: “You’re cute. I like the way you are sitting there, glaring at me as though there is no way I’m getting this job. Rawr.”

Question: “What does your company do?”

Interviewer Hears: “Oh man, when I applied to this job on Craigslist, there was no WAY I thought I was going to get it. I can’t believe you fools even called me in! Man. If I wasn’t on a bender last night I would have totally tried to find out what you do, but I was, so I didn’t. So what in the world do you guys do?”

Final Thoughts

Asking questions at the job interview is extremely important, and one of the best ways to ensure that you get hired. However, not all questions are created equal. Make sure that the questions you ask reflect positive qualities on you, and not questions that make it appear you are going to be a handful for the company if you are hired.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Not all questions are created equal.
• Think about your questions before you ask them.
• Plan some good questions ahead of time.

Questions You Should Never Ask at the Job Interview Part 2

Yesterday we went over a few examples of questions you should try your best not to ask at the job interview. Today we’ll look at a few more questions that will get you in trouble.

Additional Bad Questions to Ask at the Job Interview

Question: “Do you offer daycare services?”

Interviewer Hears: “I have kids that I may not know what to do with at any given point. They’re not old enough to take care of themselves and they often rub snot on each other so I may have to stay home and take care of the kids, or I might get really sick myself and infect the entire office.”

Question: “How quickly do I get raises?” (or) “Do you give bonuses?”

Interviewer Hears: “We haven’t even discussed salary, but I am already unhappy with the amount of money you are going to pay me and if I don’t get that extra bonus cash at least once a year there is a good chance I leave within the next 6 months for a job that probably doesn’t pay me that much but sounds like it will.”

Question: “How does your company feel about transferring departments?”

Interviewer Hears: “Remember when I said that this field was my passion? Yeah, I might have been lying. Sometimes I feel like I would do a lot better in this field, or this field, or that other field. I am multi-talented and easily bored. I can start on Monday.”

Clearly there are a number of questions that reflect poorly on your ability to do the job either now or in the future. Tomorrow, we will look at a few more questions that are bad to ask at the job interview.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Make sure that the questions you ask give off the perceptions you wish them to give off.

Questions You Should Never Ask at the Job Interview Part 1

Asking questions is extremely important. Questions show interest in the company. Questions show that you are not simply going to take the job just because they offer it to you and that you are putting real consideration into whether or not this is a place you want to work. Questions show that you enjoy learning and you have the intelligence it takes to ask a real, interesting question…

… Sort of.

While questions are extremely useful for getting hired, this is not middle school – there are such things as “stupid questions.” Your questions need to give the employer confidence that if they hire you they are in for a treat. Over the next few days, we will show you examples of questions that do the exact opposite.

Bad Questions to Ask at the Job Interview

Question: “Does your company offer maternity leave?”

Interviewer Hears: “Within the next year, I am going to have to take at least 3 to 6 months off in order to raise a child, and when I get back I am going to be extremely tired, grumpy, moody and talking about my ugly baby all the time. Hire me so that I can leave and you still have to pay me.”

Question: “Does your company offer telecommuting?”

Interviewer Hears: “Even though I have not yet toured the office, I am confident that there is no way I am going to like the environment here. I would much rather work at home where I can watch marathons of Phineas and Ferb while surfing the Internet for my exes.”

Question: “What is the dress code for your company?”

Interviewer Hears: “Can I show up wearing a stained AC/DC t-shirt and jeans I bought at Goodwill only to find out they had a hole in the rear so I plugged up the hole with another pair of jeans that I ruined when I spilled beer on the crotch?”

Take Away Interview Tips

• Don’t ask questions that show you might be missing work.
• Don’t ask questions that show you are lazy or unprofessional.

Extremely Common Interview Question – Do You Have Any Questions?

There are hundreds of common interview questions that show up at most interviews. “Tell me about yourself” and “Why should we hire you” are some of the most common. Yet there is still a chance that you will not experience those questions at your job interview, simply because more and more employers prefer to write unique questions themselves that the applicant cannot prepare for.

One question, however, is asked at every job interview. Every. Single. One. People with little interview experience do not even realize that it is an interview question, yet it is arguably one of the most important job interview questions that you will be asked at your interview. That question is “do you have any questions?”

How to Answer

To answer this question you need to do one thing: Have questions. Ask questions that are intelligent and will provoke thought from the employer. Show interest in the company. Show them that you are intelligent. Create a list of some 15 questions beforehand and ask the best ones during your interview. Also, be ready to make up questions on the fly, and don’t be afraid to start asking these questions even without prompting.

Bad Answer

“No, that’s it. You guys covered anything. Thanks!”

This is wrong.

Good Answer

“Earlier you mentioned that the department is going through some major revisions. How do you expect these revisions to affect the department’s overall culture and philosophy? (pause for answer). Are there any projects that started as more of a dream/vision but may soon become a part of the company’s pipeline? (pause for answer)…”

These are good questions. This is a good answer. You should always have questions available, even if you asked a number of questions during your job interview. Remember to ask different questions to every interviewer in case they discuss your questions and candidacy at a later date.

Take Away Interview Tips

• Ask questions.
• Don’t not ask questions.

Free PDF – Bad Job Interview Questions to Ask Available for Download

It wouldn’t be “Everyday Interview Tips” if we didn’t bring you new and interesting job interview information every day. Yet sometimes a simple blog post is not enough. That is why every month we supply you with free job interview, resume, cover letter and job search tip guides to give you more in depth techniques for finding a job in today’s difficult economy.

This month we have a new free PDF titled “10 Bad Questions to Ask At Your Job Interview.” Within this guide you will find information about:

• What makes a bad job interview question.
• What are some of the worst job interview questions.
• What job interview questions to ask sound acceptable, but are still bad questions.

“10 Bad Questions to Ask At Your Job Interview” is designed to help you learn the questions you should not ask at your job interview so that you can come up with the best possible questions to help improve your job interview chances. This guide is a useful tool for all applicants, from recent graduates to seasoned professionals.

Get Your Free Bad Job Interview Questions to Ask PDF

Download your free copy of “10 Bad Questions to Ask At Your Job Interview.”

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