Questions to avoid during a job interview

The article says candidates should ask questions at the end of a first interview, but they should be the right ones. It argues that questions can signal knowledge of the company, work ethic, professionalism, and interest in the role, while self-serving or premature questions can send the wrong message.

Reading notes

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• Ask about the job and the company, not questions that seem self-serving or suggest you are not a team player.
• Do not ask what the company does, because that makes you look unprepared and can be answered by a Google search.
• Do not ask about salary too early, because it can sound arrogant and rude.
• Do not ask about long hours, vacation, or expense accounts in the interview, because those questions suggest low commitment or the wrong priorities.
• Do not ask whether you will get along with your boss or coworkers, because it can make the interviewer wonder whether you have had problems with colleagues before.
• Save questions about benefits for later in the process, when a job offer is more likely.
• Do not ask when you will be eligible for a raise, because it may suggest money is all you care about.
• Do not ask about schedule flexibility, personal questions, background checks, email monitoring, private office space, rumors about the CEO, termination rules, personal calls, or whether you got the job, because these questions can raise suspicion or make you seem unfocused or too eager.
• If you want feedback, wait for an offer or rejection and then ask by email what you did well or could have done better.
• The article says the worst mistake is not asking questions at all, because that can hurt your communication, confidence, and overall impression.