What NOT to Ask in a First Round Interview

Sometimes career gurus will give tips that I vehemently disagree with, like asking this question to “instantly impress” the hiring manager: “I want to make sure I align myself with what success looks like here. What are the top three traits your best performers display, day in and day out, at this company?”  The same guru says to end the interview with “I don’t have any other questions, but if I could say this humbly, here’s why you should hire me.” Also no. The first question is wasting valuable time — you could be asking much better questions in its place showing you have done your homework and can help them immediately. The second question is way too salesy for in-house lawyers.

With tips like those, I am understandably skeptical when I click on advice columns. I was happily surprised with Fast Company’s “4 questions to avoid asking in the first round interview” because, yes, “there are some things better left unasked because they can send the wrong message.” Better to develop the relationship and learn more about each other in round one.

Let’s go through the questions NOT to ask:

1. Can I work remotely (or hybrid)?
   While it’s a good question in general, it’s not good for the initial round of interviews. I agree these days “companies are pushing to bring the workforce back on site as much as possible. They want to make sure that the person they invest time in training and getting up to speed is not going to come to them 90 days or six months later and say that they prefer working from home.” If remote was a possibility, the job would say so, so don’t ask too early because “asking for special exceptions before proving yourself can signal a lack of commitment to the company’s current needs and culture.”
2. What are growth opportunities with the role?
   Again, it’s a good question, but if you are asking in the first round, the employer will worry you don’t want this particular job and are already thinking about your next job. I 100% have heard hiring managers express that concern to me. It’s super hard for managers to get headcount in-house, so they don’t want to go through this process again for awhile!
3. What is the work-life balance here?
   If you have a big firm job and want to go in-house, you probably want better hours, but it’s career suicide to say that out loud. Hiring managers will bristle in response, feeling that they work very hard too and do not want someone who is a slacker or a burnout or doesn’t understand the setting. The article suggests saying something like “I have a child that I need to pick up at four o’clock. I can log back online if needed to make sure I’m able to finish everything that I start. Would that schedule work for this position?” I’m not a big fan of that suggestion either. You can ask what a typical day looks like and gather data much more subtly.
4. What can I expect to get paid?
   The article rightly points out many states (including California) require compensation to be posted with the job, and “inserting high salary expectations right up front, though, can derail your interview progress.” It’s ok to ask about ranges and flexibility but “never” as “the first or second thing that’s discussed” because “an organization wants to feel that somebody’s interviewing for a position because they’re invested in the company; because they’re excited about the day-to-day; because they’re passionate about what they’re doing.”

If I’ve made you paranoid now about what constitutes a good question, here are some good ones you can ask: about the hiring manager’s current project, why they joined the company, and about something discussed during the interview. See here for more.