By Gloria Eid, Student Advisor for co-op students working in Western Canada
Six tips for asking questions to boost your progress.
When you're a junior student, you don't want to be seen as inexperienced and incompetent. As a senior student, you somehow think that after your small set of past work experiences, you should be knowledgeable enough to figure it all out on your own. Both these perspectives inhibit your growth as a professional, a team player, and a leader in the workplace. And I’m here to tell you that asking thoughtful questions is a skill (well, I’m passionate enough about it to call it an art) that can be practiced and refined the more you do it.
No matter the student's year level, I'll often hear reflections like, "I'm not sure when to ask questions," "I don't want to ask too many questions," or "I was told I wait too long to ask for help." However, we usually discover together that their real concern is that they're not sure how to ask the questions.
So, here are six cases of common workplace roadblocks and some thoughtful, generative questions to ask that will surely help you overcome them:
| When you need clarification on a task or project |
Repeat the task/project/goal/expected outcome back to your manager to ensure you've correctly understood what's been asked of you. Then, throw out an idea for how you could get started. "So, to make sure I understand, my project is to ______. I'm thinking the way I'll approach this is (or) my first steps would be to _______. How does that sound?" If you're truly stumped on how to begin, don't wallow; let it be an opportunity for learning instead. Ask, "What would be the best way to get started?" or "What have you found is the best way to begin?" so that you can get yourself a bit of input and guidance. |
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| When you need your work reviewed or when you're stuck on a problem |
"I've been working on this for the last hour/30 minutes/all morning and I have some questions before I go further. I've tried (explain what you've done so far and the approach you used). My thought was that (state the rationale for your approach) but I'm not sure (what should happen next/why it's not working)." Then ask for their assistance: Can you take a look? / Is my thinking off? / Do you see anything I'm missing? / Is there another way you'd approach this?" |
| When you have low workload or unchallenging tasks | "What can I be doing that would be most helpful to you right now?" "Is there any work available that I can take on in the area of ______ (ex. technical writing, graphic design, web development, project management, technical reporting)?" |
| When you have high workload and multiple projects or conflicting priorities |
"How should I prioritize this?" "Where is this new task on priority level?" This can also open a conversation in which you share the current projects on your list, how you are interpreting their priority, and if you can work together to reprioritize or reassess your workload. |
| When you have little or no connection with colleagues |
"I'm curious to learn more about ____. Is there anyone in the company you would recommend I connect with?" Additionally, consider scheduling a coffee break or one-on-one chat with a new colleague at least once every two weeks and ask them questions about their career journey, their perspectives on work, their role responsibilities, etc. Remember that your career growth and success in the workplace is not just about the work you produce. It's also heavily informed by your willingness to take initiative to build relationships and learn from others. There's no better time than when you are a student and in an early stage of exploring to refer to your colleagues as resources for your own career navigation and questions. |
| When you want to propose an idea |
"I wonder, what would it be like if....?" "What if...?" Open-ended questions sound thoughtful and humble, and show your curiosity in your work and your interest in learning more. |
Rest assured that no matter the level of your experience, there will always be questions! Questions are a good thing. Great colleagues won't expect you to know all the answers but, they will expect you to ask thoughtful questions because it shows that you're engaging with the work. Use the prompts above the next time you're faced with a roadblock, and ask away.