As well as an opportunity for an employer to learn more about your experience, the interview is the key time when you can demonstrate your true calibre as a candidate by the type of questions you ask.

A candidate with no questions could really cloud an employer's estimation of their interest and ability to engage. Or, perhaps worse still would be a candidate who asks the wrong questions, for example:

• "Questions? No, you've answered them already."
• "What does your company do?"
• "What's your company's website address?"
• "What's the holiday allowance?"
• "How long do I get for lunch?"
• "How much overtime would I have to work?"

Showing that you've done your research at this stage is key - so rather than asking who their main competitors are, do your research before and ask more informed questions - "I notice that one of your main competitors is entering the North American market, are you considering this too?"

In contrast to the 'don'ts', these following questions would tell you the candidate is genuinely interested in becoming part of the team and has done their research into the position and the company:

• "Knowing my qualifications and experience, do you have questions or concerns about my ability to perform the job?"
• " If I were to be the successful applicant, what are the top 3 priorities you would like to see me accomplish and how quickly?"
• "What does your company value most highly? How do you think my work could help further these values?"
• "Your company released a new product last month that hasn't received great press. What has the internal reaction been to this?"

And these questions will tell you the candidate has mapped out a career path and is highly motivated to follow it:

• "How would you describe your corporate culture?"
• "Would you say from what you've seen so far that we would be a good fit for each other?"
• "How important is the function of this position to upper management?"
• "What is your company's plan for the next five years and how does my position fit?"
• "What provisions are there for ongoing training and further skills acquisition?"
• "What career progression within the organisation would you say this job entails? "
• "How will my performance be measured and by whom?"
• "When top performers leave, what are the main reasons given?"

Thoughtful questions such as these emphasise that the candidate is taking as active a role as the employer in the job selection process.They demonstrate resourcefulness, motivation, intelligence, knowledge, qualifications and engagement.

Above all, they show that the candidate knows how to make informed decisions, a sought-after skill for any job.