For those of us who have been on the candidate side of an interview, it can be difficult to answer the question about, well, questions.

So what are interview question dos and don’ts? Read on for some suggestions on what to ask and not to ask in your next job interview.

The Dos:

The Basics

You probably came into your interview with some questions about hours, expectations of the job, reporting supervisor, etc. Asking questions they didn’t answer is the best place to start. It shows you have genuine interest in the job and what you’ll be doing at the company. Just make sure to focus on aspects that show you care about the right things, rather than how you can cut corners.

Business Structure

As you prepared for your interview, you probably spent some time online gathering information about the company. That’s a great start, but what didn’t you find out? Did their website tell you how many locations they have, but not when the company was founded? Ask how long they’ve been in business.

Did you find a detailed history of the company, but nothing about their current staff? Ask how many employees they have locally/regionally/nationally. Show an interest in the company you’re auditioning for and you’ll make a good impression.

Company Culture

No one likes to start a job and find out on the first day that everyone there works in shared office space as a team, when you prefer to work independently, away from distractions. It is important to know what culture you’re coming into. Teams who like each other tend to work better together, making everyone’s job a little easier.

Ask what kinds of team building activities they do as a company, but also ask about the business’ mission statement and if they have a set of Core Values. You’ll sound impressive to your interviewer and also get some inside info that other applicants probably didn’t think to ask.

The Don’ts

Monetary Gain

If this is your first interview at the company, don’t bring up salary or benefits unless the interviewer brings it up first. If they ask, it has opened up a door. But if they don’t, it probably isn’t their biggest concern and shouldn’t be yours either.

Don’t make it seem like you’re only in it for the money, vacation time, insurance or 401K match. Business owners want to see that their employees are engaged in the work and their goals more than their compensation.

People

Don’t ask about race, gender, marital status, age, religion, etc. of your interviewer or anyone else who works at that company. Just like you don’t want them to ask you about those things, it is inappropriate to ask that of them.

Lifestyle

Do I have to take a drug test? This question is a sure way to get rejected for a position. Even if the company doesn’t require drug testing, you have caused concern for your reliability and responsibility. Always be prepared to take a drug test for work, but never worry your interviewer about whether you’ll pass or not.

Overall, be prepared to ask two to three good questions and shy away from asking anything too personal or too specific. If you need help preparing, Priority Staffing Group provides interview coaching and resume writing help to our applicants. We want to see our applicants succeed. Call any of our offices to find out how we can help connect you to your next opportunity.

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