What not to ask in a Job Interview – 28 Questions to Avoid
You have been selected for an Interview Congratulations; half the battle in today’s job-hunting market is getting yourself in front of the hiring manager and you have succeeded. Now that the big day has arrived there are a few questions we believe you should never ask at a first Interview. Some of these may seem like common sense, and other questions while it seems justifiable to ask them, the first interview may not be the best time as you could be doing yourself a disservice and letting the hiring manager think you are just not that interested or not a good team fit.
- What does this company do?
- How old is this company?
- Who’s the main competition?
You should already know the above answers to these questions based on your pre-interview research – yes thank you Google! Be aware if you ask them you may come across as not prepared or just not that interested in the role.
- How quickly can I get promoted?
- Will I need to pass drug tests after I’m hired? How often? How much warning before you give me the drug tests?
- Do you check references?
- Will You Monitor My Social Networking Profiles?
- Do you conduct background checks before hiring someone?
- Do you offer maternity (or paternity) leave? And how long before I can access it?
- What other jobs are available here?
- How soon could I apply for another job here
- How did I do, compared to the other candidates?”
- Is it OK for me to send you a Facebook friend request afterwards?
- What perks does the company offer employees compared to the competition?
- Do I get an office with this position? Where will I be sitting? Who am I sitting next to?
- Does this company monitor Internet usage?
Is the first interview the best time to ask these questions? You will need to make a judgement call, but you don’t want to raise concerns when you have just met someone for the first time or raise red flags about your suitability. The next round of interviews may be a better time to ask some of these questions or ask HR not the hiring manager.
- What is the salary for this position?
- When can I take time off for holidays?
- Do I have to work over -time?
- Can I work from home one day a week?
The question we all want to know but we believe you should not ask them yet as you may come across as only caring about money. It might be best to make it to the next interview round before you talk $ and try to change the working conditions, otherwise you may not come off in a positive light.
- Do you mind if I answer that phone?
- How many warnings do you get before you are fired?
- Are we all set? Can I go now?
- How long is my lunch?
- Can I bring my dog to work?
- How late can I be to work without getting fired?
- Can I wear my work-out clothes to work?
- Did I Get the Job?
Just don’t ask these questions and turn your phone off! Interviews can be long and tedious don’t worry you won’t be in there forever, just be patient. The hiring manager needs to find out if you are going to be a good team fit; interviewing is like dating you both need to like each other 😊
Good Luck and we would love to hear your thoughts on these questions and if we missed any, let us know.
