While it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about stressful interviews, a roommate interview can be one of the most impacting and important interviews we ever have. Let’s take a look at some of the important questions that we must ask when we sit down with a potential roommate.

Hopefully, the person you are sitting across from has already told you quite a bit about themselves through their ad. Since most people place online ads these days that can go into quite a bit more detail than the traditional newspaper or magazine ad that relied on complicated and confusing abbreviations, you will likely have a good working knowledge of the person you are talking to. The point of the interview is to lay the ground rules about how the roommate arrangement is going to work.

First and foremost, you need to talk about the financial situation that you and the apartment are in. Rent should be the first thing out of your mouth, followed by things like utilities and things like that. Privacy should also be at or near the top of the list of things to talk about. Try to find out how often they vacuumed in their old place. How often they dusted. Do they like pets? If you have a cat or small dog, how will they act around it?

A roommate interview doesn’t have to be a depressing downer of an interview, but it shouldn’t be something you brush off as unimportant, either.