Interview Questions - How to avoid that awkward silence


We all know that feeling at the end of a job interview when the interviewer says “Do you have any questions for us?” Rather that sitting there with nothing to say or a cursory “No, I think you’ve pretty much covered everything” you should really prepare yourself.

Here are some suggestions to help you prepare for that inevitable question. Obviously you won’t be able to ask all of these questions at one interview and nor will they necessarily suit each role that you are going for.

Try to make sure that when you leave your interview, you know everything that you want to about the prospective role and the organisation that it sits within.

1) How many other people work in the team and what are their job roles?

2) If the job is in a new department, ask about the reason for establishing the
department and what the plans for growth are.

3) As long as you are not being interviewed by someone in the HR department you could as the interviewer about their background. How long have they been there? What do they think of the company?

4) What skills and experience would you say are necessary for someone to succeed in this job?

5) What kind of work will I be responsible for over the next year?

6) Does the job involve any form of training?  How will this be implemented and monitored?

7) Could you explain the company structure to me?  This lets them clarify the management and departmental structure within the company.  It will also help you get a better idea of how your role will fit into the company.

8) What software / systems does your company use?  Know your industry so you know how to ask this question properly.

9) What are the company’s plans for the future?

10) What are the company’s core business goals?

11) When can I expect to hear from you?

Remember, being confident is not the same as being pushy. Try not to cross this line and avoid asking selfish questions i.e How many days holiday do I get? or When would I be likely to get a pay review?

If you have any suggestions for interview questions (or examples of bad ones) then please add them as a comment below.



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