The Most Important Question in a Job Interview, and How to Answer It
‘Do you have any questions for me?’ is a make-or-break moment
You’ve done everything you can to nail this interview. You trawled obscure parts of the company’s website and absorbed its social media feeds. You arrived 15 minutes early for the interview (the perfect amount of time, according to experts). In answer to the dreaded question about your weakness, you trotted out your best humblebrags: “I’m a perfectionist!” “I’m a workaholic!” Then comes the last question, dropped casually, as if it’s an afterthought:
“Do you have any questions for me?”
Make no mistake: This is the most important question. But what’s the best way to answer it?
Many respond by asking about work-life balance and company culture, as recommended by Fast Company’s Interviews 101. Don’t. Maybe that works in some industries, but at least in Silicon Valley, it’s often seen as a meaningless, throwaway question that reflects a lack of interest on the interviewee’s side.
“Avoid asking open-ended questions about culture,” says Mor Goldberger, head of product operations at DoorDash. She sees that question as a missed opportunity to dig deeper with an executive. Instead, she advises asking them what they love most about…
