“Do you have any questions for me?” - 5 Questions to Avoid

In your job interview, absolutely avoid asking these questions

The main goal of the job hunting process is, of course, to get a job. But before anyone can get to job offers and salary negotiations, they must first land the much-coveted job interview—and perform exceedingly well in it. This means that a job

interview is the arena where the jobseeker can “make it” or “break it”—one wrong move and you can say goodbye to your dream job. The job interview is all about making good first impressions, and making sure that those impressions last. A sign that your interview is going well? You may notice the interview has moved onto more casual chatter, rather than stiff by-the-books question-answer-question.

So, in a very important step of the hiring and employment process, it may be easy to remember what to do, what to say, what to wear, and so on and so forth. But nerves can always get to you—blurting out things you don’t mean to say can absolutely happen. Don’t get taken aback by your interviewer asking you if you have any questions for them—make a list of what you want to ask prior to your interview, and when you do, absolutely avoid certain questions, as they can leave a negative impression in the eyes of your interviewer.

Here are some sample questions that you shouldn’t ask when your interviewer asks you if you have any questions for them, as well as what you can ask instead.

1. “How long have you been working here?”

Or, similarly, other personal questions for the interviewer. While it may seem like this question shows interest in the company’s employees, it still has the tendency to come across as intrusive, especially when it’s not said properly. It could also look like you’re just sucking up to the interviewer, and feigning an interest in their lives, as it usually is not relevant to your interview. The question might make your interviewer uncomfortable too, as they would rather focus on you instead of on themselves.

What you can ask instead: “Why do you like working here?” This way, you show interest in the company’s daily minutiae as well its employees, without looking intrusive.

2. “When will you get back to me?”

Even if your intent was to show initiative and interest, asking this question phrased this way may sound like you’re demanding a response and a follow-up, which the interviewer may not be inclined to give you, as they probably have a handful of other candidates involved. It may be better to forego questions like this, but if you’d like, you can shoot your interviewer an email after the interview and ask if there’s a timeframe that will help you allay your anxieties and ease your expectations.

What you can say instead: It’s better to skip any iteration of this question, and just say something along the lines of, “I look forward to hearing from you again” in your email.

3. “Can I use social media on the job?”

Especially with this kind of phrasing, it can sound like you’ve already assumed you’ve gotten the job, which, at this point, is still very much up in the air. It’s important not to assert yourself in this way, as your interviewer could get standoffish feelings from you. Even if you’re in the stage of job offers and salary negotiations, or if you’ve already gotten the job, it might be better to ask a peer (i.e., someone that’s the same level as you in the office) this question when you’re actually in the office already.

What you can ask instead: “What’s a day-in-the-life of employees in this company?” You’ll get to learn about company culture as well as your day-to-day tasks, should you get the job.

4. “When can I expect a raise?” or “Do I get any leaves?”

Questions like this should never be asked during a job interview because again, it assumes that you’ve already gotten the job. Save a paraphrased version of this question—something like, “How will I be evaluated, and what’s the timeframe for that?”—as you progress in your employment process with the company.

What you can ask instead: “What is the typical career trajectory for a person in this position?” It shows that you’re interested in growth and moving forward, without sounding demanding and assuming.

5. “Is my boss male or female?”

Asking a question like this, even when it is just out of curiosity, can make it seem like you are discriminating based on gender. It also could potentially show that you haven’t done enough research about the company—but don’t worry, because not every little piece of information is available during the preliminary stage of the employment or job hunting process. So really, it’s mostly about the first reason.

What you can ask instead: “How would you describe the company’s leadership philosophy?” or “Will I get to meet my boss during this process?” By asking this, you will get to learn about your potential boss without any of the discriminatory language.

6. Bonus:

Any other question that you should know beforehand (such as general facts about the company), a question that you can easily Google, or a question that would indicate that you weren’t paying attention to your interviewer.

A general rule is to make sure that your questions are phrased politely and respectfully without sounding demanding or insistent, and to achieve this, it’s important that you prepare questions beforehand and avoid the above-mentioned questions!

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