Most of us know by now we should have a few questions to ask when we interview for a job. Good questions give us valuable information about the company while letting the interviewer know we are engaged and interested in being an asset.
But do you know which questions you should definitely not ask?
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Shark Tank star and real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran spoke on her podcast, Business Unusual, about the three questions she listens for to actually weed out potential candidates. To her, these questions show all she needs to know about someone she’s considering hiring.
So, what are these questions?
“How late do I have to work?”
Corcoran says she’s alerted when a candidate asks her, “How late do I have to work?” The question shows her the interviewee isn’t willing to work hard enough to get the job done. Basically, you come across as lazy.
It is entirely possible that you may honestly need information about work hours before you know whether you want the job. If that’s the case, she says to ask, “What are the typical hours?” to get your answer without seeming inattentive.
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“How do people get promoted?”
Slow down, cowboy. You haven’t even gotten the job and you’re already asking, “How do I get raises around here?” or “How do people get promoted?” Corcoran’s spidey sense tells her questions like these show a greedy person who only cares about power and money – someone who “is going to be a pain in the neck.”
If you want to know more about the potential career track the job provides, ask, “What would be expected of me within the first year to move ahead?”
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“What’s your vacation policy like?”
Asking about vacation time is an absolute hard pass for Corcoran. All that shows her is that you’re dreaming about the beach when you should be putting hard time into the job you said you wanted. Questions about vacation irk her so much, she couldn’t even come up with an alternative to suss out vacay details.
Her advice? Just don’t do it.
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The nitty gritty details about benefits and pay should either come up with HR at the beginning, or as you get closer to the offer and you’re negotiating. When you’re talking to the C-level folks, dazzle them with your interest in the company they’ve put their all into.
And send that thank you note or email. Yes, as soon as possible. From the parking lot.
Good luck!
