Questions at the End of an Interview | Scottish Career Advice

Questions to Ask at the end of an Interview

While it might not be something you’ve thought about before, it can be useful – and sometimes even impressive – to ask your own questions at the end of an interview. While we wouldn’t recommend grilling your interviewer, here are some queries which will both help you learn more and hopefully leave a good impression.

It can be tough to know what questions to ask at the end of an interview. To avoid getting caught out on the spot it’s best to have a variety of questions up your sleeve.

#1 – Can you elaborate more on what the role involves day-to-day?

By asking this question you’ll be able to better visualise yourself doing the job and gain insight into what your future working day would be like. You’ll also be able to discover if there’s anything that hasn’t been listed in the job description that you’re not keen on, thus saving you from a rude awakening on your first day.

#2 – Why has this role become available?

This question can give you some valuable insight into the company culture. If the role is available due to the previous person being promoted, then this indicates that the company offers good opportunities for career progression. Similarly, if it’s a newly created role it suggests that the company is performing well, and your new job will be fairly secure.

#3 – What are the most challenging aspects of this role?

It’s good to be challenged by your job but you also want to know what you’re taking on and if you might be overwhelmed. Your interviewer’s perspective on the difficult aspects of the role will give you an idea of the hurdles you might face, and you can then assess if you will be able to manage these difficulties.

#4 – If I’m successful in getting the role, how will my performance be measured?

It’s always good to have clear and well-structured goals to work towards and if you know from the get-go how your achievements will be measured, you’ll be able to perform better.

Last week, we gave you some handy examples of questions to ask in a job interview. This week, we’ve got some more for you to have up your sleeve in case your questions already get answered in the main part of your interview.

#5 – Are there opportunities for professional development on offer?

If your career growth is an important factor to you when opting for a new role, it’s good to get an idea of how potential employers will support this. Perhaps they offer internal training or have the budget for external courses and conferences, but you won’t know until you ask.

#6 – What do you think is the best thing about working here?

How your interviewer answers this question can tell you a bit about the company’s culture and values. If more than one person is conducting your interview and they both give the same answer, say flexibility over working patterns, you can pretty much bank on this being a top priority for the company as a whole.

#7 – What is the salary on offer?

Not all job descriptions offer a salary range, but it can be a huge factor to take into consideration when you are choosing whether to accept a job offer. It can be difficult to talk about money as you don’t want to come off as presumptuous, but if money still hasn’t been discussed at all by the end of your interview now is your chance to ask.

#8 – What are the next steps?

It’s best to use this as your last question as it brings things to a natural close. It will give you some clarity over when you can expect to hear from them and if there will be any further interview stages.

#9 – Can you elaborate more on what the role involves day-to-day?

#10 – What are the most challenging aspects of this role?

#11 – If I’m successful in getting the role, how will my performance be measured?