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January 30, 2009
What Will You Ask in Your Interview?
One of the biggest interview faux pas a candidate can make is not to have any questions to ask at the end of an interview when the interviewer inevitably asks, “Do you have any questions for me?” Not having any questions to ask can lead an interviewer to believe that you do not truly have enthusiasm for the position or the organization or that you did not properly prepare for the interview.
What questions should you ask? Feel free to ask what the procedure going forward will be: what are the next steps and when should you expect to hear from the employer again? But you should also have one or two more interesting and insightful questions prepared to ask. Remember that the more thoughtful your questions, the better impression you’ll leave with the interviewer. Here are some suggestions for things you might ask:
- You can ask questions that follow up on matters discussed previously in the interview, such as seeking additional information about how work assignments are made.
- What is the culture like at this organization? For instance, is there strong collaboration among different departments?
- What is the company’s policy on attending seminars, workshops, and other training opportunities?
- What are the most important traits you look for in a new hire/new clerk/new attorney?
Of course, there are some questions you never want to ask. Never ask any sort of “what’s in it for me” question. Don’t ask about salary or other compensation. Don’t ask argumentative questions or otherwise argue with the interviewer. Don’t ask any question that can be answered by basic research on the employer’s website or in the employer’s literature.
The CSO has an excellent book, available for students to check out, called 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview. Feel free to come in and take a look at the additional advice and suggestions that this book offers. And, of course, Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams (also available in the CSO) also provides excellent information for interview preparation.
Posted by cld30 at January 30, 2009 03:33 PM