The Savvy Networker 10 Questions Never to Ask in Job Interviews

by: Liz Ryan You know enough to bring a list of uestions to a !ob interview" #hen the interviewer asks you$ %&o$ 'o you have any uestions for (e)% the last thing) You want to say is %No"% *ut that +oul' be the best o,tion if you-re at a loss for wor's$ be+ause so(e interview uestions are better left unaske'" .ere are 10 highly unsuitable interview uestions that shoul' never (ake an a,,earan+e$ unless you 'on-t want the !ob: 1. "What does your company do?" /his was a reasonable interview uestion in 1010 or in 1020$ before the Internet e3iste'" /o'ay$ it-s your !ob to resear+h any +o(,any you-re interviewing with before setting foot in the 'oor" #e nee' to show u, for a !ob interview knowing what the e(,loyer 'oes$ who its +o(,etitors are$ an' whi+h of its a++o(,lish(ents 4or +hallenges5 have (a'e the news lately" 2. "Are you going to do a background check?" It is a(azing how (any !ob +an'i'ates ask this uestion$ whi+h ,rovokes alar( on the ,art of the interviewer$ instea' of the (ore general$ %6an you ,lease tell (e a little about your sele+tion ,ro+ess$ fro( this ,oint on)% Lots of ,eo,le have +re'it issues that +ause the( worry 'uring a !ob sear+h$ or aren-t sure how soli' their referen+es fro( a ,revious !ob (ight be" If you-re invite' for a se+on' interview$ you +an broa+h any sensitive to,i+s fro( your ,ast then" Asking %#ill you 'o a ba+kgroun' +he+k)% (akes you look like a ,erson with so(ething to hi'e" . "When wi!! " be e!igib!e #or a raise?" 6o(,anies fear un'er,aying ,eo,le al(ost as (u+h as they fear over,aying the($ be+ause a ,erson who-s un'er,ai' vis7a7vis his +ounter,arts in the !ob (arket is a ,erson with one eye on the +areer sites" Instea' of asking about your first raise before you-ve got the !ob$ you +an ask 4at a se+on' interview5 %8oes your organization 'o a +onventional one7year ,erfor(an+e an' salary review)% $. "%o you have any other &obs avai!ab!e?" A !ob sear+h re uires ui+k thinking about straight talk$ an' if a !ob is far below your abilities$ you-re better off saying so than beating aroun' the bush with this uestion" You 'on-t have to take yourself out of the running9 you +an say$ %/he !ob soun's interesting$ but frankly I was earning :0; (ore an' su,ervising ,eo,le in (y last !ob" 6oul' you hel, (e un'erstan' the +areer ,ath for this role)% /hat-s the +ue for the interviewer$ if he or she is on the ball$ to highlight another !ob o,ening that (ight e3ist" '. "(ow soon can " trans#er to another position?" You-re broa'+asting %I-( outta here at the first +han+e% when you ask this uestion" If you like the !ob$ take the !ob" If it-s not for you$ wait for the right o,,ortunity" Al(ost every e(,loyer will kee,

you in your seat for at least one year before a,,roving an internal transfer$ so a !ob7sear+h bait7 an'7swit+h ,robably won-t work out the way you-' ho,e'" ). "*an you te!! me about bus !ines to your #aci!ity?" <et online an' resear+h this yourself" It-s not your e(,loyer-s ,roble( to figure out how you get to work" +. "%o you have smoking breaks?" If you-re working in retail or in a +all +enter$ you +oul' ask about breaks" =veryone else$ kee, (u(9 if your nee' to s(oke intru'es so (u+h on your work life that you feel the nee' to ask about it$ ask your best frien' or signifi+ant other for s(oking7+essation hel, as a new7!ob ,resent" Lots of +o(,anies 'on-t ,er(it s(oking anywhere on the ,re(ises$ an' so(e 'on-t like to hire s(okers at all" #hy give an e(,loyer a reason to turn you 'own) ,. ""s -my medica! condition. covered under your insurance?" /his is a ba' uestion on two +ounts" You 'on-t want to tell a ,erfe+t stranger about your (e'i+al issues$ es,e+ially one who-s 'e+i'ing whether or not to hire you" Ask to see a +o,y of the +o(,any-s benefits booklet when an offer has been e3ten'e'" /his is also a ba' uestion fro( a !u'g(ent stan',oint9 no 'e,art(ent (anagers an' only a tiny ,er+entage of .R ,eo,le +oul' be e3,e+te' to know on a +on'ition7by7+on'ition basis what-s +overe' un'er the health ,lan" Anyway$ your ,re7e3isting +on'ition won-t be +overe' un'er (ost +or,orate ,lans for at least a year" /. "%o you do a drug test?" If you have a ,hiloso,hi+al ob!e+tion to 'rug tests$ wait until they ask you to take a 'rug test an' tell the( about your ob!e+tion" >therwise$ your uestion soun's like$ %I-' fail a 'rug test$% so 'on-t ask" 10. ""# you hire me1 can " wait unti! -more than three weeks #rom now. to start the &ob?" =(,loyers e3,e+t you to give two weeks- noti+e" If you-re not working$ they-' love to see you (ore ui+kly" If you ask for tons of ti(e off before you start working 77 unless you have a very goo' reason 77 the e(,loyer (ay think$ %.ow serious is this +an'i'ate about working)% In any +ase$ a start7'ate e3tension is so(ething to re uest after you-ve got the offer in han'$ not before" Liz Ryan is a 25-year HR veteran, former Fortune 500 VP and an internationally recognized ex ert on careers and t!e ne" millennium "or# lace$ %ontact Liz at liz&as#lizryan$com or 'oin t!e (s# Liz Ryan online community at """$as#lizryan)grou $ *!e o inions ex ressed in t!is column are solely t!e aut!or+s$