Many, if not most, interviews end with the interviewer asking the interviewee if he/she has any questions. You need to prepare for this. The interviewer is not just being polite. How you respond to this question is a good indicator of the kind of employee you'll be.
A response of "No, you've pretty much covered everything" is an extremely weak answer. Don't go there if at all possible. Instead, take a look at the articles listed below and have some questions for the interviewer in your back pocket, in addition to any questions that occur to you during the interview. There are, of course, many more sites available on the Internet that give this kind of advice, so feel free to do your own web search as well.
In general, you DO NOT want to ask the following:
- Salary or other compensation questions. Save that for after you've been offered the job when you have some leverage. During the interview, strive to impress the interviewer with your interest in the position and company, not the money.
- Questions about benefits. See the previous bullet - same rationale.
- Unless you have a compelling reason, such as another job offer that you're considering, don't ask about the employer's time frame for making a decision or about "next steps." [Why?]
Time Frame and Next Steps
Are you eager or desperate?
Asking about next steps and the decision time frame can mean either you're eager for this job (generally a good impression) or desperate for any job (a really bad impression to make). To an employer, desperate job candidates are assumed to grab the first job they're offered, whether it's a good fit or not. Employers worry that desperate job seekers will keep looking for a better job and not stay around long. If you can't resist, an exit line such as "I'm really excited about this job! I hope to hear from you soon." may elicit information about the time frame and next steps without creating a negative impression.
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Always go into an interview knowing that you'll be asked if you have questions and knowing what you're going to ask. Asking questions shows that you're interested in the job and the company, that you've done some homework, and given some thought to the position and what you're looking for in a job.