Take Control of the Interview

You are nervous. Your voice is croaky and your hands are sweaty. So far the interview has not gone as you have planned. If you are starting to think that this is the end, you are wrong. You still have a chance to get that job.

You can control one component of an interview by asking questions about the role and the company. By asking intelligent questions, you are showing the interviewer that despite experiencing interview jitters, you do not lack knowledge or enthusiasm. You should elaborate on your previous experience and show your interest in the role.

Here are some questions that you could ask towards the end of the interview:

• How do you see me fitting into this role? By asking this question, you would be able to roughly determine how well or how badly you have done for the interview.
• Do you have any feedback on my resume or on this interview? Is there any room for improvement? Acknowledge that the interviewer is the expert in this area.
• What is the company's vision? What is the company's direction for the next 2 to 5 years? Asking these questions will show the interviewer that you want to be part of the company's long-term vision.
• What is the dynamics of this position? How will this position contribute to the company? Do not ask these questions if the hiring manager has already shared some information about this earlier in the interview process.

It is also worthwhile to ask specific questions related to the industry that the company is in. For example, if you were going for a job in the tourism industry, you could say that while the tourism industry is currently benefiting from recent events held in the country, how does the organisation itself see the future of the industry?

Be observant throughout the interview and try to understand that type of personality the interviewer looks for in a candidate. For example, the interviewer may mention that the ideal candidate for the job is someone aggressive, focused and no-nonsense. Conversely, she could be emphasising on a warm and friendly personality. Understanding this would enable you to position your questions and responses accordingly.