JobLab's Interview Cheat Sheets: 5 Great Closing Questions

Each week we get the pleasure of helping recent graduates land interviews with awesome high-growth startups??. At JobLab, we understand the interview process can be pretty daunting so we've put together a super helpful guide to help you close out your interviews like a pro!

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Interview Cheat Sheet: 5 Great Closing Questions

The first guide in our series of interview cheat sheets is the basic guide for the uninitiated facing their first interviews. Now we’re dishing the dish on closing questions at the end of an interview.

Knowing how to answer a potentials employers questions is tough enough, but knowing which questions to ask can be even more of a mine field…

Ask the right questions and you’ll come across exactly as intended; bright, engaged and thoughtful. Ask the wrong questions and you’ll have the opposite effect. Don’t ask any questions and you’ll turn the interviewer off you altogether!

So,…  do  you have any questions for me? 

Recap: What’s the Interviewer testing?

The interviewer wants to know whether your competencies match the role, and whether or not you’re going to fit in with their company. When we say competencies, we mean core skills such as;

• Decision making
• Problem solving
• Attention to detail
• Leadership
• Communication
• Technical ability

Your questions at the end of an interview are another opportunity to demonstrate that you have not only the right experience, but the right mentality, too. It’s also your chance to really gauge what the company’s about and if it’s genuinely the right place for you.

Yes-Yes Closing Questions:

What do you like most about your job and the company?

Show the interviewer a little love; people enjoy talking about themselves and your interest in what they have to say will warm them to you. It also gives them the opportunity to pitch the company.

Can you describe the workplace culture? What makes a good fit?

Tell the employer you’re giving the role thorough and careful consideration. It’s a really valuable question for you to get an answer to – if you’re a relaxed creative type there really is no point in you joining a target-driven shark den for a broking job. It simply wouldn’t work and it’s best to know now.

Could you describe the ideal candidate for this position? 

While the employer waxes lyrical about their dream candidate, you can reflect on the answers you gave during the interview. Do you fit the bill? Is there anything they’re looking for that you didn’t demonstrate but could? Now is your chance to speak up.

What would the ideal candidate achieve in their first few months working here?

Yep. You’re serious about achievement and this lets your new boss know it. Knowing their expectations for new employees will tell you whether or not you’d be a good fit.

When can I expect to hear back?

Don’t expect a straight answer on this one. They may intend to get back to you within a couple of days, and get back a couple of weeks later, or not at all. Lots of factors will affect when and how they respond to your interview, but you’re completely entitled to ask this question.

No-No Closing Questions:

There are questions that you may want to ask, but might not be appropriate. Generally, you shouldn’t ask after perks or pay. The idea is that you’re enriched by the work and company itself – that’s what makes you want to work there – the great salary/ office/ early finish on Fridays are added bonuses.

While you’re waiting to hear back…

Read our need-to-know tips for following up an interview.

Do you have any burning questions about the world of interviews, job hunting or life in general? Leave a comment below!

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