A woman, interviewing for a Human Resources position, answers the common interview question: Where do you see yourself in five years? This is an example of an GOOD way to answer this question. Created by Fresno, California’s most respected Recruiting, Staffing and Human Resources consulting firm — Denham Resources.

By the time you get to the end of an interview, you are probably feeling a mixture of tension and relief. So when you are asked if you have any questions, it’s easy to say no or ask something irrelevant. You will no doubt have prepared your answers to interview questions, but have you taken the time to prepare questions for interview panels?

Asking questions both gives you the opportunity to find out more about the company and the job you are applying for and it gives the employer a chance to see how well you understand the position, and enables him to gain further insight into your knowledge of the industry and your enthusiasm. It can also help both of you to get a greater understanding of your suitability for the post. Don’t forget that interviewing is a two way process and although the interviewer will do most of the asking, you should use the discussion as a way of finding out if you really want the job.

What sort of interview questions to ask? Let’s start with the ones you should never ask! Don’t ask about salary, perks, paid holidays or sick leave. Of course, you are very interested in all of these, but they should not be your main concerns and even if they are, they should not appear to be, if you want to get the job. All of these can be discussed and negotiated when you have been given a firm job offer. Also avoid any negativity, such as revealing things you haven’t or been successful in or enjoyed in previous employment.

Getting a job is all about what you can do for the employer and not what he can do for you; at least from the employer’s perspective and so that should be the focus of your questions. From your background research before applying, you should know quite a bit about the organization – are there any existing projects or new developments where your specific skills would be invaluable?

Come up with a list of questions about these areas before the interview and then you can choose the most appropriate one, based on what has already been discussed. If you have only one or two questions prepared, you may find that everything you thought of asking has already been covered.

There might be the opportunity to introduce something which you haven’t already talked about, for example, if you know that the company is planning to expand into Europe and you speak one or more European languages, you could ask for more information about these plans and if there is any way in which you might become involved.

If you listen carefully throughout the interview, you may pick up a few ideas for questions. This is useful if you have learned new information which didn’t come up during research and it shows that you pay attention – not always easy in a stressful situation.

When being interviewed for a job questions are an important part of your strategy. Use your questions to show your competence and to demonstrate skills and successes. Often two candidates are equally suitable for the post, but asking intelligent questions which show that you are hardworking, enthusiastic and very capable could swing the decision in your favour. So make sure you include the preparation of questions for interview in your job search plan.

© Waller Jamison 2007

By: Waller Jamison

About the Author:

A woman, interviewing for a Sales Representative position, answers the common interview question: What is your biggest failure? This is an example of an GOOD way to answer this question. Created by Fresno, California’s most respected Recruiting, Staffing and Human Resources consulting firm — Denham Resources.

A woman, interviewing for a Non-profit position, answers the common interview question: Why do you want to work here? This is an example of an GOOD way to answer this question. Created by Fresno, California’s most respected Recruiting, Staffing and Human Resources consulting firm — Denham Resources.