I’m 99.99% sure that if you asked anyone, and I mean ANYONE, what to have prepared for any interview, they would answer, “a question”.  Not always the easiest, but always a necessity.

Trust me; I understand that at times it can be intimidating to ask questions during an interview. However, coming to an interview without questions can sometimes be misconstrued as being unprepared. Preparing for an interview is extremely important, and one way to show that you have prepared is to come up with an intelligent question. Even a basic inquiry about the dress code can be a good question to ask.

1. What do you hope I will accomplish in this position?
   1. For an internship position, this is a great question. Your supervisors have worked very hard to fit you into the Indium Corporation Summer Intern Program. They had to create a plan as well as projects to get approval for an intern. They want and will rely on you. Ask them what they expect.
2. What does a typical day look like in this position?
   1. Every position is different. I asked this in my first interview, “What is a normal day in HR like?” which the interviewer responded, “Every day is different. You have a plan, and it always changes”.  Although my question was met with a more general response than others may receive, it still is a good question to be ask.
3. What is your work culture like?
   1. Companies pride themselves on their culture. Ask them about it. Better yet, research the company’s mission statement, their values, and their culture (I promise you, it will be on their website). Take words and phrases from these three components of their business and weave them into your interview answers. I still say ask the questions you researched; the interviewer has firsthand experience with the culture.
4. Look at the company website.
   1. It may not be a question, but looking a company’s website can help you think of questions. Indium Corporation has blogs for not only the interns, but also the full-time employees. You can see what they have been working on. Questions may pop into your head that you can ask. Referring back to a project or a product you found interesting that you found from the company website will show you have an invested interest.
5. Look at what is going on in the company industry.
   1. Business websites will be your best friend for this information. It is one of the most helpful ways (in my experience) to come up with a unique and intelligent question. In preparation for one of my first interviews, which was for a position at a bank, I researched the bank and the industry. I wanted to understand their turnover rate, their culture, but also what is changing in the industry. I did research and saw that artificial intelligence was beginning to replace the jobs of tellers. At that moment, while doing my research, I knew my question. In my interview I asked, “I see that artificial intelligence is becoming more popular in the banking industry; what is x company doing to create jobs for those being replaced by technology?” A little research goes a long way.

By no means am I an expert in interviewing, but I do have some experience. I gave my personal take on what I have asked during interviews. No question is a bad question, but not having a question can appear as poor preparation. My best advice for coming up with a question is to head to the company website. Take notes of the little details the company gives you. No company or interviewer wants you to tank an interview. Be prepared!!!

Talk soon, Maria :)