Final Questions - And One More Letter

Once the interviewer (or prospective employer) has asked his or her questions, it will be your turn. Determine exactly what you want to know, and practice how you are going to pose your questions beforehand. It may be that the interviewer will raise questions that you hadn't thought of and obviously you won't be able to craft those questions, but some things are standard - what duties, what salary, and what chance of rises, bonuses and promotions.

Be very careful about how you approach the question of rises, bonuses, and promotions. Bald questions on any of these subjects are a bad idea. They can seem 'pushy', and they can lead the interviewer to believe that you are more interested in what you can get out of the job than actually doing it - or that you might be likely to leave if bonuses, rises and promotions fail to appear within a given time known only to you.

Bonuses, rises and perks are usually covered by an interviewer when people start talking about salaries. If they aren't, then frankly those are subjects that are best left alone. Promotion is, of course, another matter. Most candidates for any position need to know whether promotion is a possibility, and most employers are aware that few people really want a 'dead end' job. Be diplomatic - ask whether other people who have joined the Company in the past at your level have been promoted internally.

Most employers don't automatically let people know immediately that they have been successful - and many want to make a final decision only when they have finished interviewing all the potential candidates for the job - so your final question needs to about how long that decision is going to take.

Don't be afraid to ask it. All employers are aware that candidates are looking to, or have already, lined up other interviews. Consequently, the 'yes' or the 'no' tends to arrive in the short, rather than the long, term.

Don't take 'by the end of the week' as a sign that you haven't got the job, and that a 'Sorry, not interested, but Good Luck' letter will be on the mat tomorrow. You need to appear confident to the very end of your interview, and negative thoughts won't help you to do that.

Do thank people personally for their time before you leave - and do write a follow-up letter immediately you get home and post it same day if possible. It's polite and makes a good impression. It's politic (and it makes a good impression!) to say that you found the meeting interesting and stimulating. It's a good idea, too, to say that you would like the job - but only if you're really serious!

Geoff - http://www.metlissbarfield.com