Always Ask Questions
At a young age, students are encouraged to ask questions in class. Not only does asking questions help them learn, it also indicates to the teacher that they are paying attention and are interested in the subject. As I learned in high school, that "participation" portion of class could bump you up from a B+ to an A. Asking questions helps!
When it comes to job interviews, asking questions is essential--you're downright silly if you don't.
If you don't ask the hiring manager questions, according to John Kador, author of 201 Best Questions to Ask on Your Interview, you are giving one or all of these impressions to the interviewer:
- You think the job is unimportant or trivial.
- You're uncomfortable asserting yourself.
- You're not intelligent.
- You're easily intimidated.
- You're bored or boring.
But you don't have to just "wing it" when it comes to asking questions. Do your homework on the facility or organization, and then write down some questions beforehand.
Kandor writes doing this can help you articulate your thoughts, prioritize your issues, help you remember what you want to ask, improves your performance during the interview and makes you look prepared.
Just like raising your hand in class, coming into an interview with written questions can lead to some extra "brownie points." It's important to show you are interested in the company and the position, and that you've done your research. Just remember to not ask too obvious questions that you can easily find on the facility's Web site.