Why You Need to Ask Questions During an Interview

John Krautzel
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A job interview is not just a 30-minute session wherein the HR manager and potential boss grill you on your past work experiences, relevant skills, qualifications and what you bring to the company. A job interview works in the opposite direction as well. A good interviewer asks you if you have any questions for them. If you don't reply with at least two thoughtful, relevant questions, then you might not get the job.

The Fit

There are several reasons why you should ask questions to the people in front of you. Perhaps the most important one is to find out if the company is a good fit for you. Asking the right questions gives you insight as to the company culture so you determine if your personality works well with what the employer expects.

Ask each individual person in your interview about the company's culture. Try for questions such as "What's your favorite part of working here?" or "What's your least favorite aspect of this company?" Ask each person how many hours per week they work for the firm. Does each interviewer hang out with co-workers after hours? These types of questions let you know what situation you're getting into before day one.

Ask for some stories or anecdotes of the company. For example, find out what's the most memorable task each interviewer has ever done at the business. Consider asking about the most memorable event that occurred since working here, regardless of whether it has to do with time at the office. Some people may answer with stories of softball games, bowling night or the annual holiday party.

Show Engagement

When you ask questions, it shows engagement and interest in the company. Your interviewers should find your questions interesting, well thought out and thoroughly researched. Dig deeper into the inner workings of the company to find your questions. Do not simply rely on the company's website to find topics, as anyone can find those answers.

Ask questions about the company at the front desk when you arrive. By the time the interview rolls around, you might add a few staffers at your prospective workplace to your social media contacts. Talk to these people as well. Use your network to your advantage to find some interesting information that is not readily known.

When you come up with creative questions that stand out from everyone else's, interviewers remember you and your thoughtfulness. Great questions show your genuine interest in the company, and it alleviates any doubts about your commitment to the position. Good questions also let your interviewers participate more actively in the interview, which, in turn, makes it more memorable for them.

Ask the Right Way

There is a right way and wrong way to ask questions in an interview. Your questions should get interviewers talking, not just saying one word in reply, so do not ask questions with "yes" or "no" answers. Start questions with "how," "what" or "why" as opposed to "does" or "do."  The question "Do you work a lot of overtime?" has a one-word answer, "yes" or "no." Instead, try asking "What does a typical work week look like at this office?" and see what response you get.

Ask questions based on what your prospective supervisor says throughout your face time. This rings especially true if the interview itself answers your original questions before you get a chance to ask them. What your interviewers say to you should give you some insight as to how things work at the company.

Get to the Point

One final thing to remember is that responses to your questions give you an idea as to whether you have the job or not. You may even ask bluntly, "What do you think of my chances of earning this position?" If your interviewers smile warmly and respond positively, you may face a better outcome. If you receive a cold shoulder, that's a different story.

How interviewers respond to your questions gives you an idea of the impression you left on them. The same goes for you—the people in front of you gauge how you respond to their queries and not necessarily the answers themselves. Turning the tables is fair game.

You need to ask questions during the job interview simply because you want to show your eagerness and interest in the job. The right questions may show HR that you mean business, and you're ready to get to work.

Photo Courtesy of Teresa Farfan at Flickr.com
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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Kathleen thanks for that. So true that a picture speaks a thousand words. I would have felt the same way as you if I walked through a work area where work was piled to the ceiling and the workers all looked shell-shocked. The interviewer might be the greatest but seeing the actual work area can definitely tell you a lot about what you might be walking into.

  • Kathleen T.
    Kathleen T. •

    At one interview, the Office Mgr. took me to the area where I would be working. I got an immediate feeling of dejection, that this would not be the job for me. The staff had folders all over the floor around them, and stacks more piled. I asked the prospective three co-workers, what their favorite part of the job was. They looked stunned and couldn't even come up with a response. I pretty much knew right then, this would not be the setting for me. The job spelled drudgery! So asking to see the area you would work in, could be a good idea, if not offered.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for the comments. I, too, agree that it's best to ask the questions as you go along. If they are questions that you had prepared in advance, check them off your list as you go. This way you can view your list quickly and find out if there are any questions that you missed. The interviewer will take note that you have prepared questions in advance. And, if you come to the end of the interview and your questions are all answered - you can ask what the next steps are and also ask if you may contact the interviewer should more questions come to mind once you depart. Leaves the door to that two-way communication wide open. Once you leave - don't forget that hand-written thank you note. If there was something during the interview that you feel would make you stand out, mention it in the thank you note as it will readily bring you back to the interviewer's mind. The bottom line here is that every interview is going to be different and there is not a one-size fits all when it comes to interviews.

  • Jacob T.
    Jacob T. •

    I've always found it equally effective to be engaged in the interview process and ask questions as the interview unfolds, rather than holding the questions until the end. Asking a series of questions at the conclusion of the interview always feels rehearsed and off-topic. When you ask as things come along, you can still get the same level of engagement and help put the interviewer a little more at their ease.

  • Andrew S.
    Andrew S. •

    Asking bluntly about your chances of getting the job is not a very good idea unless you're really confident and the interviewer has already showed some kind of special interest in you during the interview. So if you do ask it, it needs to come naturally out of the kind of conversation you've been having up until that point. But then again, can you trust yourself to know if the question is going to be well-received? Ultimately, it's hit or miss.

  • Paul Wilson
    Paul Wilson •

    I believe that just as in product sales the communication is only effective if duplex, gone are the days of one way sales as in product or self.

  • Shaday Stewart
    Shaday Stewart •

    I've always found it strange that so many employers misread not asking questions as a sign of laziness, disinterest or lack of preparation. For me, it has always been the exact opposite. If you're deeply interested and regularly keep up to date on what's happening in a company, you often know more about the company than the interviewer may realize. As an introvert who's very observative and thoughtful, I tend to think deeply about everything an interviewer says and does and ask questions as we go along. By the end of the interview, I genuinely feel well informed. I also find it more useful to pay attention to body language and speech cues when discussing different aspects of the company. There are frequently times when interviewers clearly do not love the company, but of course, they will never say so out loud.

    Many of my fellow introvert friends tell me they feel the same way about interviewing. They feel forced to rehearse questions, whether the know the answers or not, simply to appear more engaged. These are people who are hardworking and dedicated, but like me, interviewing feels unnecessarily hard because of the rehearsed interactions. Companies need to recognize that there are different types of people and they will continually overlook great talent by expecting everyone to follow a narrow pattern of interactions.

  • Tara Avery
    Tara Avery •

    I agree with @William about asking questions only the people in front of you can answer, and want to expand on that a little. I think it's really important not to ask the kinds of questions that could easily have been answered by doing your research beforehand. You want, in your questions, to prove that you're present and engaged with the current moment, not just reciting things you've prepared. You also want them to know that you have given their company its due consideration, which means, at the very least, reading their website and retaining a bit of information from it.

  • Hema Zahid
    Hema Zahid •

    I don’t think it’s a good idea to ask questions at the reception when you arrive for an interview. The waiting period is best spent on keeping yourself calm and composed. Asking questions while you wait may cause your mind to wander and it takes the focus away from the actual interview.

  • Mike Van de Water
    Mike Van de Water •

    As somebody who's been an interviewer quite a bit, I wouldn't have a problem with the "least favorite aspect" question as long as it was phrased a little better. Perhaps you could say "What aspect of the job do you personally find most challenging?" I agree with Vivian that the way it's worded makes it sound a little more combative than it should. It's alright to be bold, but you never want to put an interviewer on the defensive.

  • CATHERINE S.
    CATHERINE S. •

    Wow, I've never thought to ask the interviewer directly about my chances of getting the position. I might find this awkward to do, but I can see how it could be viewed in a positive light by the interviewer because it shows that you are confident and really are interested in getting the position. The Interviewer might also disclose some information like how many other applicants they are interviewing or the amount of time it will take them to make a decision.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    Thanks for the comments. So true that an interview goes both ways. As job seekers we sometimes forget that just because they may want to hire us, we may not want to work for that company after the interview. So we always need to make sure that we ask the pertinent questions for our particular situation to ensure that we have the information we need to make the right decision for both us and the company. Doesn't do anyone any good to accept a job offer knowing that it's not what they want and that the company may not give us what we are looking for - but we accept it because we are desperate. @Vivian you could ask the interviewer about his position, about what he likes about the company and maybe why he stays. These companies know that you are interviewing them so they probably wouldn't be surprised with the "least favorite aspect" question. Will they be honest? Maybe but you will be able to tell. Watch the interviewers face and body language should you ask the question. If it changes from what it has been up to that point, he may not be telling you the truth. You would have to sort of read between the lines. The bottom line is that you need to ask the questions that will help you to make an informed decision regarding the position as well as the company.

  • Vivian B.
    Vivian B. •

    I agree with Shannon Philpott: Asking a question like "What's your least favorite aspect of this company?" seems like a risky proposition to me. While some interviewers might welcome the opportunity to discuss the parts of the organization most in need of improvement, I could see some human resource managers or potential bosses interpreting questions like that one as a sign of a poor or combative attitude. Is there a more subtle, nuanced, or diplomatic way to ask about the more challenging aspects of a workplace?

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K. •

    I think asking questions during an interview isn't just a perfunctory obligation. I think we should never forget that an interview works both ways. The company is checking out potential employees, but as a job candidate you're also checking out the company. For example, if you don't want to work 90 hours a week and that's common for the position you're interviewing for, then this is information you want to know upfront. Be polite and tactful of course when you ask questions, but definitely try to get the information you need to make a decision.

  • William Browning
    William Browning •

    Asking questions definitely shows interest in the job, and I certainly feel you need to ask the right kinds of questions. Come up with questions ahead of time, but make sure they are items that only the people in front of you can answer. One way to mine questions is to talk to people in your network who happen to work for the firm. Insider information commonly wins the day.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott •

    While I agree with the importance of asking questions at the conclusion of an interview, I don't think it is a good idea to ask what a panel of interviewers like least about their job. This type of questioning could indicate that you are seeking out drama or issues with the company right away. It could also imply that you like to stir up controversy on the job. As a former hiring manager, I was always on the lookout to eliminate people who would disrupt the culture of the company or dynamics with drama.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson •

    @Abbey it's okay if the questions have already come up and have been answered during the interview. You can simply respond with no I don't think I have any questions at this time but would it be okay to get in touch with you should questions come to my mind after I leave. That allows that two-way communication to remain open. Also, make sure that you send a thank you note after the interview. Include some little tidbit from your interview so that it allows him to recall you and the interview. You can include a question in the thank you note also. And yes you can go back to a previous question and ask for further information.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd •

    I understand the importance of asking questions during an interview. However, what if all the questions you planned to ask have already been addressed? I know many times throughout the interview, the subjects of interest come up in different forms. Is it acceptable to go back to a previous topic and ask an interviewer to expand or give further detail?

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