So you have been told to prepare two interview questions to ask at the end of an interview by every man and their dog?? Scratch that. Prepare a few wisely. What happens if the interviewer has already answered your questions during the interview? What if you forget these two well-rehearsed questions? What then…….?

As a job seeker, the key to a good interview is to find out as much about your potential employers as possible. However the questions you ask will be paid close attention to by your potential employer! Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to the dreaded “Have you any questions for me?”

The do’s….. Think about what your employer would like you to be interested about such as ‘What projects are you most excited about?’  or ‘What’s the best thing the person in this job could do to shine?’ Both of these questions reflect you wanting to understand the upcoming role and how you can be the best in that role.  Ask questions surrounding management’s expectations, why do employee’s love working at this particular company etc. Make your question interesting!

The don’ts…… Avoid the following questions for obvious reasons:  ‘Do you have any freelance positions available?’,  ‘Do you know anything about this other role that your company is hiring for?’ and ‘How soon are people promoted?’ (Though it is okay to ask where the person who left went). Listen carefully to the interviewer throughout to avoid asking a question they have already answered, believe me they will notice that they are repeating themselves.

What do you do if the interviewer has covered everything? Do not ask an unrelated question that has nothing to do with the role just for the sake of asking a question like ‘What type of health insurance does your company provide?’ or ‘Does this company monitor Internet usage?’ Simply, thank the interviewer and state that you did have quite a few questions but for now, he/she has covered everything you needed to know. Let the interviewer know that you will contact them should any questions pop in to your head after you walk out the door.

I can’t tell you how many times I have sat opposite a candidate asking me questions that I have already answered and let me tell you, it does not make a good impression. As an interviewer I can spot a well – rehearsed question a mile away! Often these questions are so out of context it completely stops the flow of the interview. It also makes me think “Has this candidate listened to a word I’ve said?” So, be prepared to listen proactively throughout the interview and ask questions that you feel are relevant.