Your Questions

This is your opportunity to ask questions about the job or the company that have not been covered in the interview. It is always wise to have prepared 3 or 4 questions in advance. As part of your research into the company write down questions you would want to ask them to clarify aspects of the job. If all your questions are covered in the interview and nothing naturally comes to mind at the end of the interview, it is probably better not to ask any questions but emphasise to them that all your questions have been answered in the interview.

It is important to work out your own questions based on what you need to know. Areas you might want to consider could include:

The organisation - current projects, future developments

Work - what would you be doing, typical projects and timescales

Training - what is possible, support for professional exams/chartered training. Is there a mentoring or appraisal system?

Colleagues -who would you be working with, who would supervise you?

Location - where would you be based, how much travel is involved/mobility

Prospects/salary - if salary is not given it is OK to ask but maybe not as your first question. On what basis is promotion given and what are the likely opportunities?

Conditions - holidays, hours etc if not given

Notification of outcome of interview - ask them when they are likely to make a decision or what the next stage will be.

Make sure you don't ask them anything you could have found out from the information they produce. Don't embarrass them by asking anything too technical or obscure.

End on an upbeat note. Afterwards look back on your performance and think what you can learn from it. Were there questions you didn't expect or could have answered better? It may be possible to ask for feedback after the interview.

If you were unsuccessful, don't be too down on yourself - it's not you they are rejecting, it's usually just that there was someone else with more relevant or developed skills and/or experience.

If you are successful at first interview you will either be offered a job or you will be invited to second interview or an assessment centre and the preparation starts all over again!

If your interview results in a job offer, congratulations!

Now find out about Telephone Interviews >>