There are right and wrong questions to ask when applying for a job. The right ones show how ready people are to tackle a job head-on. The wrong ones put them out of an interview so fast their heads spin.

Most potential hires spend so much time preparing and honing their answers for any question you might ask them that they don’t put any thought into what they’d like to ask your company.

According to Yahoo! HotJobs, a lack of preparedness for that part of the interview usually leads to someone asking one of these unsuitable interview questions:

1. “Are you going to perform a background check?” — Whether an applicant has credit issues or is worried about how solid their previous job references are, asking this question on a first interview usually makes it look like they have something to hide.
2. “How soon can I move to another position?” — Almost all employers want to keep new hires in their position for at least a year before moving them around, so a bait-and-switch isn’t likely to pan out anytime soon.
3. “Is [my medical condition] covered by your insurance plan?” — This one’s doubly wrong. Not only is it sharing private medical information with a complete stranger, but not all interviewers — especially if they’re not exclusively HR — will know what’s covered under the company’s health plan on a condition-by-condition basis.
4. “Can you tell me about the public transportation around the office?” — If you’ve got access to the Internet or a telephone, you can figure out the bus route to the office.
5. “When will I be eligible for a raise?” — Now more than ever, salary’s a difficult topic to handle. A better idea is to wait until the second interview and ask if a company holds one-year performance and salary reviews.
6. “Can I wait for [three or more] weeks before I start?” — Most employers expect a person to give two weeks’ notice. When an applicant asks for extra time off without a good reason, it begs the question: “How serious is the candidate about working here?”
7. “Do you have smoking breaks?” — If needing to run out and smoke impedes on your ability to work — or at least get through an interview — it’s time to drop the habit.

Are there any questions you absolutely want a Finance applicant to ask? Share your experiences in the comments section below.

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Tags: Interviewing, Job application, Potential hires, Top Ten