Job Interviews can be one of the most nerve wrecking experiences in your life. At Debbie Burbage Recruitment we have previously covered the questions to expect on your job interview along with preparing for your interview with questions you should ask the interviewer. Towards the end of most job interviews, the interviewer will hand over the interview to you and ask the dreaded question “Do you have any questions for me?”. The best thing to do is prepare for your job interview and plan in advance what questions to ask rather than have nothing to ask. You can take along a set of notes to refer to so that you are able to ask your set of questions with confidence and also note down any answers you are given.
Make sure that any questions you ask are aimed at the company and the job role so that it shows you are interested in knowing more about the job giving yourself the chance of getting a job with this particular company. Ask about the role and where it could lead you to in the future so that you sound ambitious and determined to climb the career ladder.
To avoid having to bury your head in the sand, we have come up with 10 questions NOT to ask in a job interview:
1. What does the company do?
One of the first things that you need to do in preparation for a job interview is research who the company are and what the company does. If you do not know the answer to this question or feel you have to ask this as a question then it shows that you are not the right candidate for the job.
2. When will I be able to start using my staff discount?
As exciting as staff discounts and benefits can be you don’t want to make out that you are only applying for this job because of the discount which you may receive. This is an inappropriate question which could jeopardise your application.
3. How soon can I take a Holiday?
Holiday allowance may come up as a topic in the job interview or could be stated on the job application, however you do not want to ask this question as it looks like you will be wanting to take a holiday straight away. The interviewer may ask if you have any holidays planned so that they can be made aware of any absence.
4. When will I get a promotion?
You need to first get the job which you are applying for before you can even think about asking a question such as this. Once you have established yourself in a job and worked there for at least several months then you can think about asking for a promotion.
5. How quickly could I get a pay rise?
The interviewer will be looking for someone who is genuinely interested in this job role, rather than someone who is concerned about the salary they will receive and when they would get a pay rise. This is the type of question you would ask once you have settled into a job and have been working there for a few months and have worked hard enough to earn an increase in your salary.
6. Would I have to work long hours?
The hours you would work in this job role would more than likely be stated on your job application or set as a standard time such as 9am – 5.30pm. If you ask a question such as this it will make you look disinterested in the job role and not ambitious enough to enjoy your time at work.
7. Can my hours be flexible?
If the hours you work could be flexible then it would state it on the job application. If it does not then this is not a question you can ask. To be a successful candidate you would have to be able to work the hours stated on the job application.
8. How well do you think I did?
Most of the time feedback is always given back to the candidate within a week of the job interview and once all other job interviews have been made with other applicants. This is not a question you can ask as the interviewer would need to compare and contrast your interview against other interviews made.
9. Did I get the job?
Asking a question like this makes you sound over ambitious and big headed. You must be patient to find out whether or not you got the job and wait for your feedback on the job interview.
10. What will my salary be?
Most of the time the salary will be stated on the job application. If it is not then it will be a competitive salary for the job role you are applying for which can more than likely be found on the internet.
Job Interviews can be one of the most nerve wrecking experiences in your life. At Debbie Burbage Recruitment we have previously covered the questions to expect on your job interview along with preparing for your interview with questions you should ask the interviewer. Towards the end of most job interviews, the interviewer will hand over the interview to you and ask the dreaded question “Do you have any questions for me?”. The best thing to do is prepare for your job interview and plan in advance what questions to ask rather than have nothing to ask. You can take along a set of notes to refer to so that you are able to ask your set of questions with confidence and also note down any answers you are given.
Make sure that any questions you ask are aimed at the company and the job role so that it shows you are interested in knowing more about the job giving yourself the chance of getting a job with this particular company. Ask about the role and where it could lead you to in the future so that you sound ambitious and determined to climb the career ladder.
To avoid having to bury your head in the sand, we have come up with 10 questions NOT to ask in a job interview:
1. What does the company do?
One of the first things that you need to do in preparation for a job interview is research who the company are and what the company does. If you do not know the answer to this question or feel you have to ask this as a question then it shows that you are not the right candidate for the job.
2. When will I be able to start using my staff discount?
As exciting as staff discounts and benefits can be you don’t want to make out that you are only applying for this job because of the discount which you may receive. This is an inappropriate question which could jeopardise your application.
3. How soon can I take a Holiday?
Holiday allowance may come up as a topic in the job interview or could be stated on the job application, however you do not want to ask this question as it looks like you will be wanting to take a holiday straight away. The interviewer may ask if you have any holidays planned so that they can be made aware of any absence.
4. When will I get a promotion?
You need to first get the job which you are applying for before you can even think about asking a question such as this. Once you have established yourself in a job and worked there for at least several months then you can think about asking for a promotion.
5. How quickly could I get a pay rise?
The interviewer will be looking for someone who is genuinely interested in this job role, rather than someone who is concerned about the salary they will receive and when they would get a pay rise. This is the type of question you would ask once you have settled into a job and have been working there for a few months and have worked hard enough to earn an increase in your salary.
6. Would I have to work long hours?
The hours you would work in this job role would more than likely be stated on your job application or set as a standard time such as 9am – 5.30pm. If you ask a question such as this it will make you look disinterested in the job role and not ambitious enough to enjoy your time at work.
7. Can my hours be flexible?
If the hours you work could be flexible then it would state it on the job application. If it does not then this is not a question you can ask. To be a successful candidate you would have to be able to work the hours stated on the job application.
8. How well do you think I did?
Most of the time feedback is always given back to the candidate within a week of the job interview and once all other job interviews have been made with other applicants. This is not a question you can ask as the interviewer would need to compare and contrast your interview against other interviews made.
9. Did I get the job?
Asking a question like this makes you sound over ambitious and big headed. You must be patient to find out whether or not you got the job and wait for your feedback on the job interview.
10. What will my salary be?
Most of the time the salary will be stated on the job application. If it is not then it will be a competitive salary for the job role you are applying for which can more than likely be found on the internet.