Now that interviews are more competitive than ever, job seekers must learn two major things:

· Ask relevant and direct questions to the interviewer.

· Answer questions directly without baring one’s soul.

Interviews are harder to get person to person. One job posted on a company website or a major job board elicits hundreds of responses. Interview preparation is a major part of any job seekers strategy. Asking questions is as crucial as answering questions.

Here are some common errors that you want to avoid:

1. Not asking questions at all. Research every company to find out what is available about the job posting: the work, the responsibilities, the goals, and the culture of the workplace.

2. Asking questions about perks, discounts, and further opportunities. This is information that should come at the right time. Performance related questions are all that matters 90% of the time.

3. Asking about salary in the first interview. A job seekers research on a company will offer a ball park figure, and for the experienced worker, salary is the last issue as a series of interviews concludes.

4. Airing your dirty laundry questions. Asking “Are employees allowed to wear fragrances?” leaves an impression that the job seeker is dragging unsettled issues from one job to another.  Similar questions will result in being uninvited to another interview.

5. Asking the interviewer personal questions is inappropriate and irrelevant to the job performance. A job seeker will be lucky if the interview does not end the interview immediately.   Compliments about how nice someone smells or how nice they look from the interviewees’ perspective are inappropriate.  Stay focused on demonstrating how you can fit in the organization.

6. Forgetting the names of the people involved in the interview makes a bad impression on everyone involved. Taking notes is a great way to prove the seriousness of the candidate about the job.

Avoiding these errors are the difference in getting the first and second interview. YOU have to concentrate on performance and your qualifications. Finding common ground with the interviewer has its place, but if you start asking personal and intrusive questions, this may show more of your inability to stay focus.