QUESTIONS YOU SHOULD NEVER ASK IN AN INTERVIEW

When an interviewer asks
if you have any questions - that is not the time to see what you can get from a
company.

A lot of people are solidly prepared
to answer questions of a hiring manager during an interview. Unfortunately,
many job candidates are not as prepared to ask interviewers questions. The
questions you ask a hiring manager are very important and weigh heavily in
their ultimate decision on whom to hire.

Making sure you are asking the right
questions can be a tough task - candidates need to be aware that this remains
part of the test, not just a fact finding mission for them. Creative staffing
firm, Vitamin T, has seen
some truly bizarre questions asked in interviews.  Some that might
definitely send the wrong message to a prospective employer actually pop-up
with alarming regularity. Susie Hall, president of Vitamin T, sent these
examples of questions asked that she considers off-limit:

• How quickly do I accrue vacation time?


• How often can I work from home?


• Do you pay for parking (cell phones, car allowance,
  sodas, gym memberships, etc)?


• Can I bring my dog to work?


• How often will I get paid?

 Ms. Hall says, “Bottom line: An
interview should be about what you can give to a company, not what you can get
from a company. Save those questions for the offer stage, after your
prospective employer has determined you’re the right person for the role.
‘Selfish’ is not on the shortlist of any desired skills list I’ve ever seen!”

So, what kinds of questions should
you ask? First, you should do your research on the company at which you’re
interviewing and ask questions about it, e.g., “I know that you’re currently
concentrated in the xyz product. Where do you see the company taking that in
the next few years?” But beyond company specifics, you need to find out how
good the fit will be for you. Ask questions like the following:

• How would you describe the responsibilities of the
  position?


• How would you describe a typical week/day in this
  position?


• Is this a new position? If not, why did the previous
  employee leave?


• Is travel expected?


• Is relocation a possibility?


• What is the typical work week like?


• Will there be overtime?


• What do you like about working here?

As culled from TechRepublic.