When someone asks you a question during a job interview, you need to answer it correctly—that’s a given. The frustrating thing about interview questions, though, is that no matter how prepared you are, you can never be sure what they’re going to ask. If you are like me, it’s super uncomfortable being in a situation with no control.

But did you know there are some questions you do control completely? Those are the questions you ask. These may be the most important questions of all. Your success in an interview isn’t solely dependent on how well you answer questions: interviewers tend to remember candidates with good questions. Borderline candidates—good candidates who are a less-than-ideal fit for the position—often find themselves with job offers because they impressed everyone with their side of the questioning.

The same principle holds true throughout your job search, at networking events, informational interviews, and so on: People remember good, smart questions, and that works in your favor, in a big way. 

Don’t expect my column to provide a list of interviewer-approved, ready-to-use questions. The process doesn’t work that way. You need to come up with your own questions—questions that fit the particular job and position, questions that reflect your unique approach. What I will do is give you some basic rules to help you choose your own powerful questions, along with some examples to help you get started.

Respect their time
For all of us, time is valuable and scarce. Networking contacts have limited patience—interviewers, too. You may have a 30-minute slot scheduled with Dr. Smith on interview day, but if you can’t keep the dialog interesting and the impressions positive, that can work against you. If you can’t engage your interviewer for half an hour—if her eyes glaze over halfway through—you won’t get the offer.

There’s nothing worse than a “time waster” question. You know because you’ve been asked a few softballs yourself, like when Dr. Smith looks at your CV and asks, “So, you did your Ph.D. in Bioprocessing at the University of Wisconsin?” It’s not even a question. When it’s your turn, maybe you should ask, “So, you guys are in the pharma industry?” Or not. 

Time-wasting  questions are a result of insufficient preparation, and they are always bad news. If an interviewer asks a time-waster, you should of course forgive and do your best to provide an interesting answer: “Yes, I worked on membrane applications for enzymatic and fermentation bioprocesses there. We published some important papers showing that…” But when it’s your turn to ask questions, you need to avoid time-wasters.

How do you prepare powerful, useful interview questions? By doing what you do best: research. Read about the individuals you’ll talk to and the organizations they work for and have worked for in the past. Read their LinkedIn profiles, the company’s Yahoo Finance descriptions, Wall Street Journal articles, and more. Learn about the core business and the company’s business strategy in your scientific area. The effort you put into coming up with good questions will inform your whole interview—not just the questions. That’s a time investment with a big payoff!

Ask questions at the intersection of professional and personal
Personal questions are very important when networking; it’s part of establishing a relationship. But should you avoid these on interview day? No, not completely; you should however use them in moderation and ensure that they are adapted to the day’s focus.

Why do personal questions matter? Because nothing is more important to you in your future work experience than the attitudes and experience of those you’ll be working closely with and how they fit in with your own; you may end up spending more time with your new colleagues than you do with your family and friends. Still, it’s important to stick to a professional context, and how you ask personal questions is important. Here’s an example:

When networking, you might ask, “What in your working life gives you the most fulfillment?” It’s a question that inspires your contact to think about the core source of her job satisfaction. It allows for some blue-sky discussion about the merits of a life spent in science that benefits the small farmer in Africa, or a career directed towards a cure for a disease. It shows early in your networking discussions that your interest is broad; you’re not just seeking professional advantage, a way to land an “opening” in the company.

That same question could be important during the interview, but in the interview context there’s no time for blue sky. Everything must be more focused and compact. So instead, ask, “What’s the most satisfying element of your day as director of the bioprocessing department at ABC Biotech?”  The question will provoke much of the same response as the broader question, but it’s more directly relevant to the job interview.

By asking, “Scientists thrive on new discoveries and innovation, and I’m sure that’s at the heart of both our careers. How does the process of innovation work here at ABC?” You might start an interesting discussion about their fast track to move research ideas over to commercialization. “I’d love to know more about how you facilitate innovation; it’s so hard to put breakthroughs on a schedule.” Such questions indicate that you’re thinking broadly about how to get things done; that’s not a bad thought to leave behind.

When you frame questions for interview day, questions with a personal element can be effective, but ensure they have an end point that focuses on the job or the employer.

Use questions that clarify and resolve issues
Here’s where, as they say, the rubber hits the road. For you and the employer, the most important function of the job interview is to explore how well prepared you are for the position and how you’ll fit in with the team. So you need to ask questions that allow you to understand where you will fit in within the company and what the work will be like, in much more detail than what you can glean from the job description:

“I know that you’re working with CHO cells in this process development role, but I’m curious whether this job also entails any involvement in media formulation.” That’s a question that gets to the specifics of the position. Ideally, you’re asking because you’ve got a great background in cell culture media—a point that will emerge in the ensuing discussion.

Just about every interview ends with the interviewer saying, “we’ll be getting back to you,” or some variant. Use that line to your advantage; this is a good opportunity to press your interviewer about any doubts she or he might have. “Do you have any concerns or misgivings about how I might fit in this role? I’d love to have the opportunity to address them.” Or, “Thanks for the discussion about how this job interfaces with you in Assay Development. From what you’ve learned about me, do you think we might be able to work well together? Are there any other questions I can answer that might help you know me better?” 

From the heart
You can’t afford to squander the opportunity to ask questions. Ensure that your questions are sincere—that they come from your heart and aren’t designed merely to show off what you know. Preparation is key, but a question intended to puff yourself up and show how much you know is just another time-waster. Be real. And good luck.