How to Approach Asking Questions in a Job Interview

One of the most important parts of the job interview process is when the interviewer asks if you have any questions.

“The end of an interview is your chance to remind the hiring manager of all the reasons why they want to hire you,” Theresa White, a career coach, says.

Amy Gallo, a contributing editor at Harvard Business Review, recently offered a few tips on how to approach this part of the interview.

PERSONALIZE YOUR QUESTIONS

Gallo stresses the importance of personalizing your questions as if they pertain to you.

“For example, instead of ‘What does a typical day look like?’ you want to ask ‘What would a typical day for me in this role look like?’” Gallo says. “That will allow the hiring manager to begin seeing you in the role.”

FOLLOW THE CONVERSATION FLOW

Building off your conversation with the interviewer can be another strategy for asking questions. For instance, Gallo suggests picking up on what’s happened in the interview so far.

“You might want to follow up on a project they mentioned you’d be working on, or a responsibility that you didn’t see in the job description,” Gallo says. “The key is to make this portion of the interview feel like a continuation of the conversation.”

HOLD OFF ON SALARY DISCUSSIONS (FOR NOW)

The interview is not the right time to ask about salary or other benefits and policies, such as health insurance and paid leave. Experts recommend holding off on salary discussions until later in the process.

“You’re not in a position to negotiate well because you’re still in unknown territory. The time to discuss salary is after they’ve fallen in love with you,” John Lees, a UK-based career strategist and author of How to Get a Job You Love, says.

Check out sample questions here.

Sources: Harvard Business Review, LinkedIn

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