You got that face to face interview, things feel like they are going well, you get to the end of it and the question “Do you have any questions?” comes up. Always to be expected, but people are still often taken by surprise.

Basic rule: Prepare for it!

There is nothing worse than response “I don’t think so, we’ve covered everything” while sitting there, staring at the wall, feeling caught out, as if you haven’t done your homework.

Remember: a job interview is about you getting to know the business and people as much as it is for them to get to know you. It is a dialogue where both parties should naturally have a lot of questions – choosing a new job and choosing a new employee are equally large decisions, so both parties should want to find out as much as possible before committing to anything.

Our tips to nailing the “Do you have any questions” question:

1. If it is truly the case that everything has been covered during the conversation (this could happen if you have already been asking questions along the way) reinforce it: ‘No, this has been a very thorough meeting, I understand your vision, your culture, what the role entails etc’.

2. Ask, ‘Tell me more about the company’s vision’. This means that you are interested in the future plans of the business and also in what the future there might hold for you. If you are serious about the position, this is something you will definitely want to know.

3. Ask, ‘Tell me more about the culture of the team’. This will help you to pinpoint what attributes drive the business forward and if it matches your attributes (and if it’s a fit, it will), you can reiterate that you could be a great fit and addition to the team.

4. Ask, ‘From our meeting today how would you view my suitability to the role and organisation etc.?’. This might put the interviewer on the spot, but it will give you a first insight into their perspective. Helps the process to remain transparent.

5. If you are going to ask about salary and benefits on a first meeting, handle this question with care. Questions such as ‘What are the working hours?’ ‘How many days holiday do you offer?’ ‘How often do you review salaries?’’ need to be asked, and clear before formalizing, but are best left until the negotiation stage – focus on the opportunity first of all.

Don’t worry, if we arrange an interview for you we can assist with your interview preparation should you get stuck.