Careers expert: These are the questions you should always ask at the end of a job interview – and the five things you should never do

• A top Australian careers expert shared the questions to ask at a job interview
• Téa Angelos is the CEO of Smart Women Society and author of a new book 
• She said your questions need to show your skills and proficiency for the role 
• She also shared the five things you should never do at a job interview and why
• Téa shared her tips for nailing a job interview every single time

A career expert has shared the questions you should ask at the end of a job interview – and the five things you should never do. 

The Australian founder and CEO of Smart Women Society Téa Angelos said before any job interview wraps up, she always has two or three questions up her sleeve ready to ask a potential employer.

The reason why she asks these questions is so she can show she has a ‘genuine interest’ in working for the company, and find out anything she needs to know ahead of starting.

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A career expert has shared the questions you should ask at the end of a job interview – and the five things you should never do (the founder of Smart Women Society Téa Angelos pictured)

The first question Téa said she asks is: What does a typical day in this role look like?

‘By asking this question, you are trying to get more specific context about what your daily activities may involve,’ she told FEMAIL.

‘While the job description would have given you an understanding of the roles and responsibilities you will have, it often does not give enough context about the actual activities you will be doing day to day.’

The 25-year-old said she sometimes supplements this question with: What are the key indicators of success in this role?

‘This could indicate strict Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) or metrics, or it could refer to more high-level indicators such as creativity and innovation,’ she said.

But it’s key to ask, as understanding what the company views as success will ensure ‘you’re both on the same page’.

Next, the careers expert said it can be a good idea to find out what are some growth opportunities in the role.

This is important as it both shows the interviewer that you’re both wanting to learn and develop, while also showcasing your attitude and goals.

‘All jobs are part of a bigger plan and strategy that a company has in place. By asking this question, you may be able to learn about the longer-term plans for the role and its importance within the broader company,’ Téa said. 

Other questions you can consider asking include: What are some of the company’s goals over the next few years?

You can also ask about the company culture and someone else’s ‘favourite part about working at the company’.

‘If you ask someone their favourite part, this question is trying to seek a real-life answer from the interviewer that isn’t just what is written in the job advertisement on the website,’ Téa said.

‘Don’t be afraid to continue the conversation from the answer to find more details about what they find the most enjoyable in their role.’ 

You can ask about the company culture and someone else’s ‘favourite part about working at the company’, as this is a good way to try and get a genuine answer to a question

How to ace a job interview every time 

1. Do your research: ‘Preparation is key to acing your interview and securing the role. Start by conducting thorough background research about the company, culture, role and interviewer. Familiarise yourself with the company’s website and social media. Understand the history, mission, products and services, key leaders, future plans and involvement. Find out who will be interviewing them and look them up on LinkedIn.’

2. Practice common questions: ‘There are a variety of standard questions that are asked by most interviewers regardless of the industry or level of seniority. Prepare responses for these. Typical examples are questions like ‘Tell me about a time when…’ and you should use the STAR (situation, task, action, result) technique to answer them.’

3. Dress smart: ‘What you wear to your interview will depend largely on the industry and the individual company’s dress code. The best way to figure this out is to look at their website and see what the staff are wearing in photos. If you’re still unsure, it’s better to be overdressed than underdressed.’

4. Conquer your nerves: ‘If the interview is in person, get ahead of nerves and plan ahead on how you’ll get there, factoring in traffic and parking. Aim to arrive 15-30 minutes early so you can familiarise yourself with where you need to go and have a read over your notes.’

5. Make a good impression: ‘Finally, it’s important to create a great first impression by building a rapport with the interviewer. They usually know within the first few minutes of an interview whether they want to hire you so be polite to everyone. Avoid speaking poorly about your existing or previous employer and ask for the interviewer’s email so you can send a thank you.’

Téa said you should ask about the key indicators of success in the role (pictured), as this ensures you’re on the same page before starting 

Five things not to do at an interview 

· Not showing interest or enthusiasm in the role

· Bad-mouthing your current/previous employer

· Showing up late

· Not being prepared (not having done your research, not knowing about the company and the role)

· Bad body language or posture, no eye contact

Finally, Téa said you can ask what are the next steps in the process – as this shows the interviewer that you are ‘serious and eager for the role’.

‘Asking this question will also give you an insight into what you can expect moving forward in the process and the associated timings,’ she said.

‘All companies do their hiring differently, so knowing the process will help keep you patient and allow you to know when the right time may be to follow up.’

Téa shared the five things you should never do at an interview.

These include not showing interest or enthusiasm, bad-mouthing your current or previous employer, showing up late, not being prepared and bad body language or posture without eye contact. 

Téa Angelos is releasing her first book, Smart Moves: Simple Ways to Take Control of Your Life – Money, Career, Wellbeing, Love, this year. For more information, please click here.

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