Power skills | Intelligent questions
Question time
Learning how to ask intelligent, in-depth questions can help you to understand tasks, form strong working relationships and expand your professional expertise
Words Sophie Cross
There is no such thing as a stupid question – or is there? Have you ever sat in a meeting with a question on the tip of your tongue but you do not feel brave enough to ask it in case it makes you look silly? Or have you been asked at the end of a job interview if you have any questions, only to draw a blank?
Don’t be a time-waster
While there might not be any stupid questions, there are questions you could Google. Nothing will get people eye-rolling internally more than someone asking a question that is perceived as a giant waste of time – especially if the answer could easily be checked online, or if it feels like it is being asked for the sake of it and not for the benefit of the majority of people present.
Consider these three things so you’re not perceived to be a time-waster:
1. Think about the other people in the room – is this relevant for most people, or would it be better to be picked up later?
2. Is the question on topic?
3. Could the question be answered with a quick online search?
While there might not be any stupid questions, there are questions you could Google
Speaking up in a meeting
The key to asking questions in a meeting is to make sure the question is relevant and is moving proceedings forward. Make sure you have been listening carefully, as you don’t want to be asking something that’s already been covered and revealing you weren’t paying attention.
Be clear and confident. If you have put a bit of thought into it first, you shouldn’t feel like you need to caveat the question with an apology or by starting with: “This might be a stupid question, but…”
Impressing one-to-one
People value others who are proactive and have problem-solving abilities but who aren’t afraid to say things when they don’t know the answer and are curious and inquisitive to learn. Do some groundwork and ensure you’re asking the right person the right questions. Check that they haven’t already answered this question in a resource you could easily find. Think about:
- What do you want to know?
- Why do you want to know?
- What is your end goal?
The more you know, the more thoughtful your questions can be. Be specific and speak slowly and calmly if you are talking to each other. Be concise and check your spelling and grammar if it's written communication. See if you can help the other person in any way and always say thank you.
Job interviews
It’s very likely that a job interview will end with the interviewer asking you if you have any questions. When this is asked, you will no doubt feel sheer relief that the process is nearly over or quite overwhelmed with all the information you’ve been given, making it hard to come up with a question on the spot. Having a selection prepared in advance is a wise move, as not asking any can make you look uninterested. Make sure your questions work in line with the company values.
TOP TIPS
Five questions you could ask in a job interview
1
What would I ideally achieve in the first three months?
2
Is there a budget for training and development?
3
What might a typical week look like in this job?
4
Is there anything else I can do to demonstrate how keen I am to get this role?
5
Is there an opportunity to advance into other roles?
TOP TIPS
Five tips for asking intelligent questions
1
Do your research
2
Don’t ask a question for the sake of asking a question
3
Stay on topic
4
Listen carefully to the answer and ask a follow-up question if you need to
5
Always finish by saying thank you
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Question time
Learning how to ask intelligent, in-depth questions can help you to understand tasks, form strong working relationships and expand your professional expertise
Words Sophie Cross