This is the question that the majority of interviews end with…so let’s get you prepared for your next interview.

It is always a good idea to ask a couple of questions to show your interest in the role and the company, showing you are taking it seriously and have prepared for the day.

Below are a few examples of questions that if they have not been covered are good to focus on:

1. What opportunities of progression are there within the company or team?
A great question to find out the companies culture on investing and retaining staff. Is training and development an important philosophy of the company? You want to know that by joining the company, opportunities in the future may arise in order for you to progress your career, in line with your ambitions.

2. Ask about them – how long have you worked here? How have you found it?
A fantastic chance to get a feel for how long the person interviewing you has worked at the organisation and what their experience has been like. This insight will give you an idea if it fits with what you are expecting and whether or not it ticks all the boxes for you if you were to be offered and accept the role.

3. What are the expectations of the role in the first few months?
Showing an interest in the role and finding out what plans are in place, will give you the opportunity to demonstrate how you could contribute to the development of these plans.  It would also give you an insight into what challenges you may face and provide more information on the day-to-day responsibilities of the role. This will help you when weighing up the role and deciding if it is right for you.

4. Where do you think the company is heading in the next 5 years?
This will give you a chance to gain an understanding into the company’s flexibility, plans and growth expectations. Hopefully, the answer to this question will give you the information that you need to help guide you in assessing whether you can grow with the company and fit within the plans that are in place.

5. What are the next steps in the interview process?
An opportunity to show you are eager to move forward in the process and gauge how many other candidates are being interviewed. It will also give you some time frames so you can then follow up appropriately.

These are just 5 examples to get you started, it is important to tailor your questions based on the role you are interviewing for and how the interview goes. It is always good after your questions to ask ‘Do you have any other questions for me?’ as your questions may have given them further insights that they would like to clarify.

Remember, unless they ask you about salary and benefits do not ask them – this is something that can be discussed further down the line if you are successful with HR.

Good luck in your next interview!