Questions to Ask and also Avoid During First Interview

By Zohaib Liaqat - 173 Comments

Multiple factors determine the development of your career, but some of them may become a moving or a ruining power for getting a job offer. We encounter these factors during the interview that is perhaps the most important part of the process of job searching. You may notice that all the interviews have a common pattern. First, you tell about yourself, then an interviewer asks some questions, you answer them, and then you ask your questions. It is highly important to understand how to ask questions properly and how to answer them to create a proper impression and present yourself as a specialist.

In this article, we are going to analyze how to ask questions during the interview and what to avoid. This information will be useful for those who have no experience in visiting interviews and are currently preparing for their first interview.

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What questions to avoid!

First, let us talk about the questions that you should avoid during your first interview.

What is the field of your company?

This is the question which automatically ruins the impression that you’ve already created. Currently, the number of candidates is always bigger than the number of job offers, and a candidate should use every opportunity to demonstrate that they are really interested in this job. Before the interview, you need to find all information about the company. Nowadays, it is easy to do it as this information is available online.

Should I work all day long?

If you want to work part time, you should find vacancies with such description. If you are looking for a full-time job, it means that you really need to work all day long. If you ask such a question, your interviewer will think that you are too lazy and that you are not ready to work 40 hours per week. No one wants to hire lazy candidates, so you’d better avoid such questions even though you may want to have some free time to make your term paper better.

Will I receive some bonuses for my work?

This is a good question for the experienced candidates who know how they can improve the work of the company and what exactly they can bring to the table with their skills. Inexperienced candidates who have no competence and understanding of the field should never ask about the bonuses. The bonuses are paid for good work or for some achievements. If you demonstrate yourself as a specialist with good prospects, the company will offer you some bonuses by itself. You may ask about the development of your skill which actually presupposes the rise of your salary, but such question sounds in a proper way.

What questions to ask!

Now, let us talk about three main questions that you are to ask during the interview.

How the workflow of the team is organized?

By asking this question, you demonstrate the employer that you understand that you will work in a team and that you want to become a part of it. Besides, this creates an impression that you have already worked in teams and know that understanding of the processes that each team member is involved in is a key to success. Also, in such a way you demonstrate your leadership and the ability to take the teamwork under control, especially if there is no established workflow for the team that you are going to join.

What will be my first tasks for the first month or two?

This is the most important question that you need to ask even if you have no questions at all. First of all, you will understand what exactly you need to work on to demonstrate your best qualities during the first months of working. Secondly, you will show the employer that you are really interested in the job itself and want to understand what exactly you will do at your workplace.

Will I have a mentor?

Inexperienced employees frequently do not know what to do at their first job. They do not even understand how to behave with the colleagues! When you ask whether you will get a mentor, you demonstrate to your employer that you really want to become a team member as soon as possible and overcome all the problems within the shortest time. Besides, it will be good to know whether you will get help from someone who will be your guide during the first weeks of working at the first job.

These 6 questions – 3 dos and 3 don’ts – will definitely help you during the first interview and will assist in holding a proper conversation with the employer. Of course, they won’t be enough to get a job offer, so do your best to demonstrate your confidence, huge desire to study, and readiness to invest into the company development by making effort and contributing knowledge.

About Author

With a background in education and entrepreneurship, Jake Lester currently writes for the educational blogging project BeforeWriting. Jake writes for many blogs and gives useful advice for entrepreneurs, students, and educators. He likes to cover stories in productivity, careers, and education. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook