CareerBuilder.co.uk

Your suit is crisp – you look impressive. Your C.V. is flawless – you seem great on paper. Now, for the last piece of the successful job search puzzle – carrying off the job interview with flying colours.

How do you do it? Try asking questions. Besides showing your interest in the position and the company, asking questions gives you an active role in the interview and lets you steer the interview into areas in which you shine.

To make sure your next interview is as smooth as your freshly dry-cleaned suit, try these 10 questions on for size:

1. "What type of salary growth and promotion opportunities does this position and the company offer?"
This tells the interviewer that you have a long-term vision for your professional future and that you're not just looking for any old job; you're looking to secure a career.

2. "How do you see me benefiting the company?"
Finding out why you were selected out of possibly hundreds of other candidates gives you a chance to expand on the qualities that caught their eye, further making the case for you to be recruited.

3. "What would my first project be if I'm recruited?"
This will give you a specific idea of what you can expect when you walk into the office that first day after being recruited. It also can give you a rough idea as to what will be expected of you, allowing you to build on those attributes during the interview.

4. "Are continuing education and professional training stressed?"
This shows your willingness to learn new skills and adapt to new challenges or initiatives. Adaptability is very important in today's fickle economy and could be key to retaining your job in a reorganisation.

5. "Why did you choose this company?"
Hearing why a current employee opted to work at the firm can give you some insight into some of the strengths and opportunities within the organisation.

6. "What is the organisation's culture?"
This will reveal those "intangibles" of a company that have nothing to do with professional experience or required education. If you need a traditional office environment to stay focused and get the job done, a more creativity-driven workplace which allows music streaming from computers, very casual dress, and ultra-flexible schedules may not be conducive to your productivity.

7. "Who will carry out my appraisals if I'm recruited?"
Ask this question, and you'll discern the company and departmental structure under which you will be working. For instance, will you report directly to the company’s chairman or will there be a succession of middle managers between you?

8. "What exactly are the job responsibilities?"
Job ads usually list the general areas of responsibility for a position. It's always good to confirm what the actual duties will be. You don't want to start your new job as an engineer and find out that you're responsible for handing out the post.

9. "When will a decision be made on the successful candidate?"
Knowing this helps you determine the timing of your interview follow-up activities.

10. "May I contact you if I have other questions?"
It's always good to finish up an interview with this question. It keeps the door open for further communication, giving you one last chance to make your case.


Laura Morsch is a writer for CareerBuilder.com. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.