What To Say When They Ask, “Do You Have Any Questios For Me?”
By Sklar & Associates In Candidate Article On August 3, 2014
“So, do you have any questions for me?”
For many jobseekers, this simple question induces panic. It doesn’t need to be a stressful moment, though.
This inevitable question is a good time to initiate a conversation about the skills you’d bring to the company, perhaps skills not addressed during the interview. It’s also an opportunity to figure out if the company and the position are right for you.
The most important thing to remember when it’s your turn to ask a question: Focus on something genuinely important to you, say experts.
It’s also important to prepare ahead of time. Before asking a question, take a few seconds to think over the questions you’ve prepared for and then ask a question that is most relevant to the interview.
Christine Edick, a certified career coach in Orange, Calif., suggests making reference to research you did on the company prior to the interview.
“What that does is it lets the interviewer know you are diligent in your research and that you know what’s happening in the company,” she says.
Your chance to ask a question during an interview is also perhaps the final opportunity you will have to gauge whether the company and the job are a match for you.
It is also an opportunity to figure out if the person interviewing you – presumably the person who will be your supervisor – has a management style that’s conducive to your way of working.
Experts say that asking a question about a company’s culture, the manager’s work style or a typical day in the department may yield useful information.
Your question may be an opportunity to find out about new initiatives at the company, new clients and the skills your prospective employer will be need to handle them.
The one answer to “Do you have any questions…” that career coaches say to avoid is: “No.”
Outside of the most exhaustive interviews, there is always some remaining point worth bringing up.
“If there isn’t closure to the interview, I would ask them what the next step is in the hiring process,” says Edick.