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Questions you should ask at an interview

At the end of an interview, you will always be asked, “Do you have any questions?” Not only is this your chance to turn the tables, having sat and been grilled for an hour or so, but it is vitally important that you ask questions.
Why?
Because it shows interest in their company and in the job you are applying for.

You have to realise how important the company is to the interviewer, particularly of course if they happen to be the owner of the business.
It is like their baby. And like a proud parent, they like talking about it and answering questions.
So, before the interview, always have a selection of questions ready.

1. Always ask about the company’s future plans. Where do they hope to be in five or ten years. You need to know this because you are a person who is looking for a long term career with a progressive company, (even if you know it’s only a fill in until you get something better).

2. Ask about prospects for promotion. Again, this is to show them you are ambitious and want opportunities to climb the corporate ladder.

3. Don’t be afraid to ask about salary. A lot of applicants shy away from this subject. Why? After all it is one of the main reasons you applied in the first place isn’t it?

4. Again, you need to know about holiday entitlements. Some think that to talk about holidays even before you have started the job doesn’t look good. Bull. If a company had a particularly generous holiday plan, don’t you think they

5. Ask why the previous holder of the position left. The answer you get maybe a load of lies. If they left because of bullying by the employer, you are hardly going to get a straight answer, but it shows interest if you ask anyway.

Make five questions your maximum. Although an interviewer is happy to answer a few pertinent questions, if it becomes longer than ten minutes they will start to get irritated.
It’s okay for them to grill your for an hour, but they don’t like it when the shoe is on the other foot.

When you leave the interview, ask when you can expect to be contacted with their decision. It shows you are keen and interested. But don’t expect the answer they give to be correct. Invariably, the date they give will not be kept.