Page 56 - 301 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, Second Edition

QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD NEVER INITIATE

Avoid questions that are over the line. Basically, this means
questions that you would find off-putting or offensive if they were
addressed to you are equally inappropriate to ask the interviewer:

Are you single?

How much money do you take home?

What would it take for you to leave your job?

Would you want to work for the guy I might be working for?

What’s the worst thing you got away with at this company?

Aren’t you a little young (or old) to be in your position?

YES, THERE REALLY ARE DUMB QUESTIONS

As I mentioned earlier, a popular platitude in educational circles
is that there is no such thing as a dumb question. After talking to
hundreds of recruiters and job coaches around the world, I can tell
you that, unfortunately, there really are dumb questions, and their
articulation has cost thousands of people jobs for which they might
otherwise have been qualified. Job candidates ask dumb questions
every day. These questions prove they haven’t done their homework,
haven’t listened, or have a tin ear for context.

All-Time Deal-Killing Questions

Candidates who ask these questions remain candidates. These ques-
tions basically terminated the job interview, according to recruiters,
job coaches, and staffing professionals who generously shared the
worst questions candidates asked in job interviews. This extensive
list doesn’t include “Do you drug test?” (four instances) and requests
for dates (six instances).

There seem to be no conditions that justify asking the following
questions in any circumstances:

• Is it possible for me to get a small loan?
• What is it that your company does?
• Can I see the break room?

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