How important is it to ask questions during the interview?

Think back to your last interview. If you're like most people, when you were preparing for the interview, you probably focused on what questions may be asked and how you would answer them; however, you probably didn't think much about what questions to ask the interviewer.

So how important is it to ask questions? According to an informal poll I conducted on LinkedIn, it is important to many decision makers. In fact, when I asked hiring and HR managers to list one of their biggest interview pet peeves, "Not asking any questions" was the second most frequently mentioned pet peeve.

When I conduct interview coaching sessions, I always tell the client, "You're interviewing them as much as they're interviewing you." You want to make sure that the job is a good fit; otherwise, you'll be unhappy and looking for a job again rather quickly. So as you prepare for your interview, here are some questions you may want to consider asking:

"How many employees have held this position in the past five years?"
Frequent turnover may be a red flag about the position or the management style.

"What strengths did the previous employee possess that you would like to see continued?"
Sometimes, previous employees have set the bar high, so this way you will know what is expected of you.

"What is one thing you know now, that you wish you would have known when you started?"
Two of my clients stated that when they asked this question, the interviewer responded, "Good question."

"What do you like most about working for this company?"
It's nice to ask a question that will generate a positive response!

"Which of my skills do you feel would benefit your organization most?"
This question lets the interviewer summarize what he/she has heard and allows you another opportunity to sell yourself on any points missed.

Happy interviewing!