Why Closing Questions Can Swing The Interview

Closing questions used at the end of your allotted interview time are the interview questions that matter most. These questions are the ones that can wrap up the interview and swing the result your way.

I hope you will hear the interviewer ask you:

“Do you have any closing questions for me?”

Even if they don’t say this, you should say “do you mind if I ask a couple of questions?” but be careful when planning what questions you’re going to ask, and make sure that they are not ones that you should already know the answer to.

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In the interview, you have a relatively short time to create a memorable impression and demonstrate your skills and abilities to the decision-maker. If you've prepared your answers to the interview questions that are most likely to come up, you can be sure it will go well.

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Ask Relevant Closing Questions Only

Try to make sure that when you ask your closing questions that they are relevant to the job. You could ask things like:

• Is this a new position?

• Who would I be responsible to?

• How many other people do this or a similar job?

• When did the last person leave this job? And why?

• When will you be able to let me know the result of this interview?

• What opportunities are there for progression or further training?

• Do you have time to show me around the area where I will be working?

• Is there anything else that I can tell you about my experience or background?

And one of the most important closing questions you can ask is this:

• Did I answer all your questions fully?

If they have any reservations, this just might bring them out and let you have another chance to give a better answer.

You probably also want to know about pay, benefits and holidays too, but now is not the right time to ask — it’s important not to ask too early.

You’ll get your chance when they show they’re interested in you for the job.

If they covered all the points you were going to ask - try paying the interviewer a compliment:

I think you’ve covered all the points I wanted to ask about.

I wanted to know about the department structure and the systems that you use, but you have covered all those areas thank you.

Show that you have taken an interest in the company:

I read that you have ten outlets in Yorkshire. Are you intending to expand during the next year?

Try for the opportunity to summarise for one last time why the interviewer should offer you the job. This means that you will leave on an upbeat note with your skills and experience the final things that they remember about you:

Could I summarise why you should seriously consider me for this position?

After the interview:

• Examine how you thought it went and write yourself some notes.

• Consider your performance and how well you handled the questions they asked.

• Congratulate yourself on the things that went well.

• Review your interview technique.

• Were you too vague / arrogant / unassertive / aggressive?

• Could you improve? And how?

• If you could do the interview again, what would you do differently?

• Make notes of what you were asked and your answers; you might be called for a second interview.

• Write a thank-you letter to the interviewer.

• This letter can reinforce the information you gave during the interview and can help to overcome any of the points you feel you may have missed during the interview.

• Always try to get some feedback on your performance.

Use this opportunity to ask closing questions well and you multiply your chances of interview success massively.

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