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Guide toAsking Questions

When you’re starting a new job, it’s important to ask questions.

Did you know that managers are more likely to support new employees that seem more proactive about their own onboarding?Here are some tips for appearing proactive:

  • Ask questions
  • Seek out information
  • Find opportunities to meet co-workers

MAKE A BUDDYand ask them!

  • It’s no surprise that employees that feel connected to their co-workers, feel more comfortable asking questions. This is why many employers assign new hires with a “buddy” who will make themselves available for questions and help new hires navigate the workplace. For those of you who do not have a buddy, here are some ideas to help you master the art of asking questions.

DECIDE WHAT TO ASK

Quality questions are:

  1. Relevant: Every question you ask should help you gather information, purposefully. Know which kind of information you need and ask your questions with this focus.
  2. Informative: Unlike yes or no questions, open-ended questions invite the respondent to talk — enabling you to gather way more information.
  3. Planned" Before speaking with your supervisor, outline some questions to help you cover your informational goals in an organized way.

TO ASK OR NOT TO ASK?... that is the question

Before you ask a question, you should:

  • Be concise and to the point by focusing your questions - ask one thing at a time. If you really want to know two different things, then ask two different questions.
  • Avoid confusing questions by speaking your listener’s language. Use clear words they will understand, and try rephrasing if they do not.

DECIDE HOW OFTEN TO ASK- Quality vs. Quantity

Depending on your supervisor’s workload or audience in general, there is such thing as too many questions.

  • Avoid asking non-essential questions by doing your homework. This means googling the answer or asking a less busy co-worker first.
  • After you have exhausted other informational sources, ask the question you STILL have with confidence!
  • Gather your questions and ask them collectively at your next meeting, rather than as one-offs.

CONVEY THE RIGHT TONE

Questions with a positive, rather than negative tone are generally more effective.

  • A negative tone is likely to raise resistance -Do you really need it so soon?
  • A positive toneis likely to gain acceptance or curiosity -When would you like that by?
  • A neutral/non-judgmental tone is morelikely to elicit an unbiased opinion -How did you like it? Interesting, can you tell me more?

Before asking certain questions, you may want to ask yourself:

  • If I was asked this, would it raise resistance or curiosity?
  • Is this something I am expected to know or not?

DON'T FORGET TO CAPTURE ANSWERS

  • Listen to the respondent’s full answer and do not interrupt before they finish speaking.
    • Interrupting someone when they are answering your question makes them feel like they aren’t really being heard, which is ineffective for communication. Asking questions is a great way to practice listening, which is a critical skill in the workplace.
  • Take notes – doing this prevents you from asking the same question twice by leaving something you can refer to when your memory of the conversation fades. Note-taking also signals to the speaker that you are interested in what they have to say.

SAMPLE NEW HIRE QUESTIONS

  • What should I know about this workplace’s culture (dress code, etc?)
  • How will my performance be evaluated? Do you meet regularly with employees?
  • What kind of professional development opportunities are available to student employees? Will I be assigned a buddy?
  • As a supervisor, how would you describe your communication preference?
  • Are there any procedures I need to know about?
  • How flexible is the schedule? Can I work from home?


REFERENCES

  • Your New Hires Won’t Succeed Unless You Onboard Them Properly Allison M. Ellis, Sushil S. Nifadkar, Talya N. Bauer, and Berrin Erdogan - June 20th 2017 (HBR)

  • Turman, Kara M., "Onboarding and Career Development for Undergraduate Work-Study Employees" (2013). Library Publications. Paper 34.

  • Components of onboarding – Buddy systems Onboarding: What is the advantage of a buddy system? (2012, May 31). Retrieved from

  • Learning the Ropes of the Workplace Without Hanging Yourself – Work 101 – Elizabeth Freedman

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