Questions Not to Ask at a Job Interview
"What does your company do?" should never be uttered by an applicant during the interview process and could quite literally destroy your chances of getting hired. Hiring managers expect candidates to demonstrate their interest in the job by preparing thoughtful, well-researched questions, and asking bad questions could be worse than not coming up with one at all.
Other People Are Reading
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Information You Should Have Researched
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Never ask any questions in an interview that you could have found the answers to with an Internet search -- or worse, by reading the job advertisement. Asking generic questions with readily available answers makes an applicant appear lazy and unprepared. You have worked hard to convince the interviewer of your competence during the interview itself, and a question about basic company information -- such as the products the company offers -- can ruin that image and cast doubt on your suitability for the position.
Salary and Benefits
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It's too early to ask about salary and benefits at the interview, especially in the early rounds. Wait until you have a job offer to ask about these details, otherwise you risk giving the wrong impression. Help the interview panel to understand that you want this specific job, with this particular employer, for defined reasons -- you value the company's mission and social responsibility, for example, or you want to be a part of upcoming expansion initiatives -- and not just because you want a paycheck.
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Reliability
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Don't ask about the hours of the job, flexible working arrangements, telecommuting opportunities or job-sharing possibilities. These questions signal to the interviewer that you may not be able or prepared to work the hours the company requires, will be reluctant to work overtime or may be a "clock-watcher." Applicants really call into question their reliability by asking questions about the acceptable absenteeism rate or how many sick days the employer offers.
Red Flags
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Avoid asking questions about the background process, inquiring if the employer checks criminal records, or questioning whether employees must submit to random drug testing. Applicants who don't expect any issues to come up are unlikely to care about a background check or drug test, so the interviewer may assume you are asking because you have something to hide. Other red flags to watch out for: Asking when you can expect to be promoted -- which sounds like you only want the current job as a stepping stone to something better -- or questioning the employer about travel and relocation possibilities, which can seem as if you are not fully committed to the position for which you're interviewing.
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