Okay, you have made it to the end of your interview and the interviewer says it is now
your turn. They want to know if you have any questions for them. And most likely you
do: “How did I do” and “Are you going to hire me” – unfortunately you can’t ask either
one. But there are questions that you can ask to glean some information on how you
performed and to determine if the company is a right fit for you.
Although it is not acceptable to ask how you did in an interview, it is okay and
encouraged to ask what the next steps are and the timeline for them. Depending on how
this is answered, you may be able to figure out their reaction to you. But this is not full-
proof and is not a guarantee. If they take the time to explain all the checks they need to
go through, how many people they have left to interview and so on, they are probably
interested and want you to understand that there is still steps left in the process. If they
only tell you that you will hear from them within a certain period of time via letter, well it
isn’t as promising.
Look at the opportunity to ask your own questions as your chance to interview the
company. Of course you have done your research prior to attending and have made up a
list that you wrote down before attending. Show your preparedness and pull out the list
to ask your questions. Things like company direction and expansion show an interest in
the business. Feel free to take notes; it can earn you brownie points. Ask questions that
are important to you as well, if vacation time and benefits are a deal breaker for you, find
out now what the company has to offer.