The interview part 3 - Mop up

QUESTIONS: Towards the end of the interview, you’ll have a chance to take the initiative and show your enthusiasm. You’ll always be given an opportunity to ask some questions of your own. People often freeze at that moment or simply throw away a couple of questions that they don’t really want to know the answer to. It does seem to be a clichéd part of the process but you should actually use that opportunity to learn more about the company. Here are some questions that you should think about asking at the end of your next interview:

• “What kind of person does especially well here, and what type of person isn’t as strong of a fit?”
• “How long was the previous person in the role, and how many people have held the role in the last five years?” (Unusually high turnover in the role can be either a sign of problems or that there are plenty of promotion opportunities).
• “How have you seen the company change since you’ve been here?” (This question assumes your interviewer has been with the company at least a few years.)
• “What do you wish you knew before starting work here?”
• “What opportunities are there for CPD or for CSE?”
• “Do you have any internal sports teams?”

The purpose of these questions is to get a better idea of the company culture but they have the added advantage of making you sound like a clear thinker and someone who’s serious about the role and about their work environment.

TIMEFRAME: The other element of the mop-up is getting a clear pathway to how and when the decision will be made. Ask what the next steps are in the process and try to get an idea of the time-frames involved, whether there are other candidates in the mix and what further interviews there will be. This shows enthusiasm and professionalism.

MANNERS: At the end, always say thanks the interviews and the people you meet along the way on your way out.

Best of luck!