How to Answer: What questions do you have for me?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Public Works job interview.
3. What questions do you have for me?
Why the Interviewer Asks This Question
This question is typically reserved for the end of the interview. By now, your interviewer has a clearer concept of what you have to offer. Throughout your conversation, you've likely found openings to ask many of the questions you prepared for your interview. Other questions may have been answered on their own before you had a chance to ask them. This final question offers you an opportunity to showcase how thoroughly prepared you are and how unique a candidate you are by asking questions they aren't commonly presented with. Remember, the more original your questions are, the more memorable a candidate you'll be. Consider this as the grand finale of your interview.
Written by Kevin Downey on January 9th, 2024
What to Avoid
Set yourself apart from the other candidates in the pool by avoiding the common mistake of responding with statements such as how you think they've already answered all of your questions throughout the interview, but if you have more, you'll reach out. That approach is misguided and does nothing to showcase yourself as a top performer. You have their attention now and they set this time aside for you. So take advantage of it while you're in front of them.
Written by Kevin Downey on January 9th, 2024
How to Answer
Try to come up with unique questions that can't be answered simply by researching their agency. And make sure you have enough of them, so you have a few left for the end. The more you can tell them about yourself through how you framed your question, such as giving them a glimpse of the outside-of-the-box lens you look at things through, the better.
Try to identify how the agency you are applying to differs from those of your neighboring municipalities. How do their services differ from their neighboring regions? Asking questions such as these will showcase you are truly invested in this opportunity and are already thinking ahead. And, as a representative of your employer, you want to always have the right answer at the ready.
Written by Kevin Downey on January 18th, 2024
Experienced Example
"I have several questions, actually. I know I've already asked so many throughout this interview. I hope that's okay. Are there any public services, aside from electricity, trash, recycling, and composting that are run by the private sector? How long has the department been understaffed, and how many positions are you looking to fill right now? Also, how has that impacted the workload of the rest of your teams?"
Written by Kevin Downey on January 18th, 2024