Page 40 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

W H Y YOU H AV E TO QU E ST ION

Why? Because the answers are as close as the company’s website or
annual report. Don’t ask the interviewer to state the obvious or do
your job for you. At best it will raise questions about your ability to
engage, and at worst it will cost you the job offer.

8. Avoid Why Questions

Queries that start with why often come off as confrontational. Inter-
viewers can get away with asking you why questions. After all, they
are interested in your thought processes and the quality of your deci-
sions. But when the situation is reversed, why questions from the job
seeker sometimes make the interviewer defensive. Not good:

Why did you consolidate the Seattle and Dallas manufacturing
facilities?

It comes off as a challenge. Better:

I am interested in the company’s recent decision to consolidate the
Seattle and Dallas manufacturing facilities. In a Wall Street Jour-
nal article, your CEO stated the wisdom of keeping manufacturing
facilities close to customers whenever possible. Yet this move creates
distance between the company and some of its customers. I’d like to
understand this decision, so can I ask about it?

9. Avoid Asking Questions That Call for a Superlative

Questions that call for a superlative (“What is the best book of all
time?”) make people hesitate and also put them on the defensive.

Poor: What is the biggest challenge for the company/team?
Better: What do you see as three important challenges for the
company/team?

Poor: What is the absolute best thing about this company?
Better: What are a couple of things you really like about the
company?

Avoiding superlatives gives the interviewer wiggle room to answer
questions more personally.

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