You know your interview will end with the inevitable, “So, do you have any questions?” but you still don’t know what to ask. Alanna suggests 10 questions to fill the void. Her focus on using that Q&A time as opportunity to find out if the job and the organization are good fits for you is right on, I think—the interview is a chance for potential employer to see if you’re right for the job, yes, but don’t forget that it’s equally an opportunity for you to judge if this is somewhere you want to work. As Alanna notes, the simple question of “What do you like about working here?” is easy and a good conversation starter, and can also be quite revealing.
One other question I would add to Alanna’s list: ask of your interviewer, “So, how did you get involved in this work?” Everybody likes to talk about themselves, and it’s never a bad thing to show that you’re interested in others and that you recognize the work you will potentially be doing is not just about your skills and contributions but also about being able to work within a team. And you might learn something interesting about your interviewer’s career path or career decision-making process that you find helpful down the road.
[On another note, apologies for the slow pace of posts lately, but I've been deployed on Alliance business, first in Boston and now in Portland, Maine. More normal posting to resume when I return.]
