“Do you have any questions for us?”   Getting it right at the end of your interview.

You’ve done a great job so far, the interviews gone well, you feel confident in your technical skills, a good fit for the team and you can really see yourself working here!  Great!  But wait a minute! Here comes the big final hurdle!

“do you have any questions for us?”

It’s well worth preparing for this final question.  Get it right, you leave a solid last impression, get it wrong and it can undo the good work you’ve done so far.

There are good and bad questions to ask and definite things to avoid.

So let’s start with what to avoid.

• It’s never good to just say no.  It shows a lack of interest and a lack of planning, so avoid a no at all costs!
  • BUT, and this has happened to us all. What if they’ve covered your planned questions in the interview already?   You don’t want to just ask them again – as that would suggest you weren’t listening or just come across as odd!

So, “well I did want to ask about your company’s ambitions for the next 3 years, but you’ve covered that, and it seems really exciting.  Could you expand on….”

OR, “you talked about training me in Cisco, and training is important to me and something I was going to ask about, but could you clarify what sort of course you were thinking and how I would use that skill in the new role?”

• Me, Me Me. Questions should be about the company, the future, the position and how you fit in.  But not just about you.   What can I, When will I, how much will I?  Don’t get me wrong, you can use one of these but relate it to the company and show and interest in them and not just yourself.
• Salary and benefits.  We all need to know how much we’ll be paid but that is something that will have been outlined to you by your Consultant at 100%.  It’s tempting to wade straight in with this, but it needs to be handled correctly and perhaps this isn’t the time.  They are looking to see your interest in the company and position, so…
• THEM “have you got any questions for us?”
• YOU “how many days holiday do I get?”  or worse…. “how many sick days do I get?”

You can see, it’s doesn’t give a great impression.  Yes, these questions are important but they should be discussed at offer stage, as part of the negotiations.   Or, check with your recruitment consultant when applying.

 

Good Questions!

So what can you ask?  Well, questions that are designed to learn more, and show that you are interested in the company.  Ask open questions that get the interviewer talking. “what, where, when, how, why”……

• I really like what I’ve learnt about your company so far. Could you tell me more about the culture?
• What do you think are the most important skills for this job?
• What do you think sets this company apart from its competitors?
• What do you think are the biggest challenges this position will face?
• Where do you think the company will be in the next 5 years?

Give these questions some thought.  What really is important to you about where you work?  What do you need to know about the position to make an informed decision?

 

And Finally……………   The killer question!! The JOB GETTER!!

Lets assume the interview went well and you want the job.  You’ve asked your questions and the interview is all but over.   It’s time to close the interview.   Close as in a “sales close”

“Thank you for your time with me today.  I have really enjoyed meeting you and can really see myself working here.  Is there anything that you are unsure about with me, or do you have any concerns about hiring me?”     

So 2 things are happening here.  You are leaving them in no doubt that you want the job.   But more importantly, you are now able to overcome and concerns or objections.

“well, we did see that you were only at your last position for a year and we really need someone who will be here for the long term”.         

You can now deal with this concern.

Sales people “close the deal” and it’s the same for you – you are selling yourself after all.

 

And that is pretty much it!  So have a good think about your questions, but above all, make sure you have some.

 

GOOD LUCK!!!  YOU’VE GOT THIS!!! 

 

Here are a few other suggestions to be going on with.

Questions about the team

What kind of team environment do you have here?

How many Developers are there in your team?

What type of feedback is provided to employees?

Questions about the next steps

How soon do you expect to make a decision?

What is the timeline for the hiring process?

What do you think the next steps should be?

 

Conclusion

Knowing the right questions to ask in a job interview and what questions to avoid can be the deciding factor in the hiring process. Asking end of interview questions that focus on the company, position, team environment, and next steps will demonstrate your interest in the job. By avoiding certain questions like those that are too personal or intrusive, you can ensure you leave a lasting good impression to the hiring manager.

Further Reading –  This is a great article on the Harvard Business Review.

smart questions to ask in a job interview