What are the best questions to ask during an interview?
We think answering interview questions is enough pressure without having to think of any of your own, so we’ve done the hard work for you. Here’s our essential list of the best questions to ask during an interview. WHY ARE YOU HIRING FOR THIS POSITION? This key question is so often overlooked.
What benefits should I ask for?
I remember reading something that said I should begin the “paperwork ... but the Social Security benefits you earned from a lifetime of working are there for you. Here’s what you need ...
Should I ask about the salary before accepting an interview?
To sum up, here’s what you need to remember when talking about salary in an interview:
- Know your worth and the forms of compensation that matter most to you.
- Use salary resources like Indeed Salaries to study the current trends and learn about the range for this job in your city.
- Give a range, not a specific number. ...
- Don’t try to negotiate until you have a formal job offer.
What should you do before an interview?
The week before the interview:
- Do your homework. Research the company and its background beforehand. ...
- Prepare your questions. When asked by the interviewer if you have any questions, have a few ideas up your sleeve. ...
- Practice your interview technique. Think beforehand about how you can best demonstrate your skills and experiences in an interview. ...
- Plan your journey. ...
- Stay focused. ...
Is it okay to ask about benefits in a job interview?
“What's your benefits package?” This question is fair game—but only after you receive the job offer. “Employers want to hire people who are passionate about the job, the work and the organization,” Templin explains. “When questions about benefits are asked too early, you're not giving off that perception.”
When should I ask about benefits in interview?
A good rule of thumb is to wait to ask questions about benefits until you know you're a serious candidate for the position, such as during the second or third round of interviews.
Can you ask about health insurance in an interview?
Health. If you are a full-time employee, your company will most likely provide you with some kind of health insurance. In some cases, while working contract positions for a staffing agency such as iMPact, you may also qualify for health insurance. Ask about how much is covered and about the employee premium accounts.
How do I talk about benefits in an interview?
Questions to Ask About Employee BenefitsDoes the company offer health insurance?Will it cover members or my family as well as myself? ... How much of the premium costs do I have to pay for myself? ... Can I choose different levels of coverage? ... What kind of coverage is there for dental, vision and disability insurance?More items...
Is it OK ask about salary and benefits in an interview?
You need timing and tact By the second interview, it's usually acceptable to ask about compensation, but tact is key. Express your interest in the job and the strengths you would bring to it before asking for the salary range. Make the employer feel confident you're there for more than just the paycheck.
What interviewers Cannot ask?
Any questions that reveal your age, race, national origin, gender, religion, marital status and sexual orientation are off-limits.
What benefits should I ask for?
Consider hiring bonuses, vacation time, retirement plans, sick leave, insurance, and other company benefits as open for negotiation as well. If you are planning to go back to school, tuition reimbursement may be just as important as health insurance.
Is it OK to ask for salary range before interview?
If you plan to take the job no matter what, wait until they bring up salary. If you are only willing to take the job if it meets specific salary requirements, ask for the salary information up front. The way you ask about the salary can make a big difference to the way the company perceives your question, however.
Should I accept a job with no benefits?
If you'll be in the same or an even better financial position with your new job with no benefits, then you may want to seriously consider accepting the offer. However, if the loss is greater than the gain, then your next step is to negotiate.
How do you answer expected benefits?
How to answer "What are your total compensation expectations?"Research the industry and geographic area. ... Emphasize your flexibility. ... State a range rather than a fixed amount. ... Consider offering high compensation. ... Be honest. ... Focus on why you expect the amount. ... Prepare for price negotiation.
Why is it important to have a job interview?
An important aspect of a job interview for most job seekers is the benefits offered with the position. Everyone’s in a different situation and have different needs and priorities as it relates to their benefits package. To some, more vacation days and work flexibility are important, while to others, having a solid health care benefits package ...
Why do companies invite you to an interview?
The reason the company has invited you in for an interview is that they have a business need and looking to you as someone who can help them meet that need.
What are the benefits of a job?
There are numerous other benefits you may want to bring up if they are important to you: 1 Allowances: Depending on your job role, they may be willing to offer an allowance for your phone, car, and other expenses. 2 Gym membership: This type of benefit may be included with some health insurance plans, or by the company directly. 3 Depending on what type of products and services provided by the company, they may provide discounts or even free use as a benefit. A retail organization may offer you a discount on all products sold in their stores. 4 401K: Is it provided and is there a contribution match by the employer?
How long do you have to wait to get health benefits?
Some companies will start on day 1 of employment and some will wait up to 90 days.
Do full time employees need health insurance?
If you are a full-time employee, your company will most likely provide you with some kind of health insurance. In some cases, while working contract positions for a staffing agency such as iMPact, you may also qualify for health insurance. Ask about how much is covered and about the employee premium accounts.
When is the right time to ask about benefits?
The right time is generally after you’ve captured the interviewer’s interest by showing them you are a good fit for the job. Focus first on selling yourself and wait for the right opportunity to ask about benefits. Look for strong signs of interest from the interviewer before broaching the topic of salary.
What to use when asking about salary?
If you’re asking about salary, use the word “compensation” rather than “money and ask for a range rather than a specific number. Likewise, if you want to find out about work-life balance, it may be more useful to approach the topic in terms of “office culture.”.
Why do employers hire?
Employers hire because they have problems and as a potential employee, you should focus on how you can solve these problems. At the same time, figuring out if an employer can meet your personal standards and needs for salary and benefits are a key determinant of whether a job is a good fit for you. So how can you ask about salary ...
How to phrase a question?
There’s always more than one way to phrase a question. Style and approach help you get the information you want. Choose your words and phrasing carefully when asking about what an employer will do for you. Let’s dig into this. Sometimes using specific words can make all the difference.
Can you march into an interview and ask for vacation time?
You can’t simply march into the interview and demand to know how much money and vacation time you’ll get. Instead, you need to approach these topics with diplomacy and finesse. Here are few things for you to do to set up tactful, effective questions about salary or benefits:
When to ask about benefits?
A good rule of thumb is to wait to ask questions about benefits until you know you’re a serious candidate for the position, such as during the second or third round of interviews. Likewise, if the potential employer introduces the topic of benefits, that’s a good indication that it’s appropriate to ask clarifying questions to get more information ...
How long do you have to wait to enroll in a new health insurance plan?
A company may have a specific enrollment period or need criteria to determine when you are eligible. Some plans have a 30-day or 90-day waiting period .
How many employees are required to have health insurance?
If the employer has 50 or more employees, they are required to offer health care plans, but more than 75% of companies offer more than what is just required by law. Depending on the company, these benefits may include dental insurance, vision care and life insurance. Make sure to ask what exactly is offered and who can be covered under your plan.
What are the benefits of a job?
Some commonly offered job benefits include: Insurance coverage for medical and dental care. Life insurance policies. Disability insurance.
How long do you have to wait to get unemployment benefits?
Typically, the maximum waiting period is 90 days , meaning you might have to wait a full three months on the job before you're able to access your benefits. Comparatively, some employers have established shorter waiting periods, and others may not require a waiting period at all.
What are some examples of employer sponsored benefits?
For example, if you have a child, spouse or another dependent, you'll want to pay attention to what benefits your potential employer might offer them as a part of your package.
What are the most important factors to consider when choosing a new career?
Employee benefits are one of the most important factors to consider when choosing a new career. The type of insurance, paid time off and retirement benefits you're offered during the hiring process can greatly influence how satisfied you'll be in your new position. In order to make the most informed decision possible, ...
Is an employer's salary considered an employee benefit?
Therefore, anything your employer offers you besides your salary or regular pay is considered an employee benefit. Since employer-sponsored benefits can improve an employee's quality of life and level of job satisfaction, they're an important part of the offer and negotiation process. Not only do great benefits often draw in competitive candidates, ...
Do employers have a waiting period for health insurance?
Many employers have established waiting periods for employees before they can start to receive benefits. These policies help employers offer health insurance coverage to new employees regularly without having to wait for yearly enrollment dates.
Do employers cover dental insurance?
Inquiring about health insurance costs is one of the most important things to do during the offer process. Some employers fully cover medical and dental insurance costs for their employees, while others may choose to deduct partial premium payments from your paycheck.
How long can you have health insurance after leaving a job?
Employer-provided insurance plans can have waiting periods of up to 90 days. 4 So, if you're leaving one job for another, you may need interim coverage. If you’re leaving a covered employer, you can opt to continue your health care coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
Is a salary enough to pay for an employee benefit plan?
A great salary isn't always going to be enough to compensate for an employee benefit plan that doesn't offer what you need. In general, there are employee benefits questions you should ask about to ensure that your overall compensation plan is right for you and for your family. Also, ask specific questions based on your needs and on ...
Why do employers ask this question?
In most cases, the company has budgeted a pay range for the role. They want to be sure that your expectations are consistent with that budget before moving forward.
What to do if you have delayed answering a question?
If you’ve delayed answering the question and the interviewer asks you again, it’s time to respond. Avoid giving a specific number. Instead, you can provide a range. Cite your research and frame the conversation as being about what is fair rather than what you want. Here are some examples of how to answer:
Do you have to answer salary questions right away?
You don’t have to answer salary questions right away. The requirements of a job as well as the other kinds of compensation an employer offers, like benefits, equity and bonuses, are important to take into consideration.
When to ask about salary in an interview?
Of course, each job interview and situation will be unique, so when you ask about salary — if you ask about it at all — keep in mind that it is going to depend on a few factors. As a general rule of thumb, it's best to wait until the hiring manager brings up the topic.
What happens if you bring up salary too soon?
Salary can certainly be a touchy topic, one that needs to be handled with care. If you bring it up too soon, you'll seem greedy or money-motivated. If you wait too long, you risk wasting a whole lot of time and effort.
What to do if your salary is too high?
If your desired salary is too high, the company can go ahead and let you know you're not the best fit. Now, if salary hasn't been mentioned and you've completed your first interview, you can start thinking about bringing up the subject, especially if some sort of travel or big time commitment is involved.
Can you report salary before applying?
However, you'll notice many companies won't report salary, ...
Is it important to discuss salary?
Yes, discussing salary can be touchy, and you don't want a company to assume money is your main motivator, but there's no denying its importance in your job search. As a general rule of thumb, follow the employer's lead. It'll come up at some point in the interview process, or at the very least when discussing a job offer.
Step 1: Clarify Your Uncertainties
Your first step should be to ask anything about the position that hasn’t been covered in the interview (though not questions you’d know the answers to by looking at the job description or company website). “You want the questions to be well thought-out and meaningful to the position and industry,” says Smith. Sample questions could include:
Step 2: Remove Their Doubts
Next, ask questions that will allow you to talk about any strengths or accomplishments you didn’t cover in the interview, or to make sure that you are sharing with the interviewer the same types of qualities they are looking for. “I ask what kind of person they see ideally fitting the job,” says Brittany Mazin, a young professional.
Step 3: Uncover Red Flags
This can be tricky to do tactfully, but asking questions about turnover, culture, and growth opportunities during the interview process can prevent unpleasant surprises down the road. Questions you could ask include:
Step 4: Get a View of the Future
Asking questions about the growth of the company and its employees is a good idea for two reasons. “I always ask what a company's goals are for the next five to ten years. It gives a good perspective on what their values are and how I may or may not fit with a company,” says Diane Kulseth, another young professional.
Step 5: Build a Relationship
When in doubt, ask the interviewer about himself or herself. “I ask interviewers about their journey in their career, such as what field they were in before and how it led to where they are now,” says Sasha Rice, a recent graduate.
Step 6: Wrap Up
At the end of the interview, don’t forget to ask about next steps. First, reiterate that you’re interested in the position (assuming you still are, of course!), and ask the following non-presumptuous questions about what’s next in the hiring process:
Questions to Avoid
Sure, there are a million more questions you’d like to ask (um, where’s the best place around here for happy hour?), but there are some key topics to avoid, too. Most importantly: “never ask any question you should already know the answer to.
