By interviewing, outside

This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager.

When I interview people for jobs, I’m always amazed by how many of them tell me they don’t have any questions for me when prompted. Like most interviewers, I set aside time for candidates to turn the tables and ask me their own questions – because you can’t make a good decision about whether to take a job otherwise. When someone doesn’t use that time to ask anything, it makes me wonder how critically they’re thinking about whether this is a job they really want, let alone one they’ll thrive in. After all, you’re contemplating spending 40+ hours a week in this role … surely there’s something you’d like to know.

Part of the problem is that people aren’t sure how to ask about the things they’d most like to know, like “are you a horrible micromanager?” or “is working here a nightmare?” They also worry that interviewers will read negative things into the questions they choose to ask (like if you ask about what hours most people work, will you look like a slacker?).

At New York Magazine today, I’ve got 10 good questions that will get you useful insights into whether the job is right for you.

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