Interviewers expect you to ask questions at the end, and this is often where you can stand out. In this lesson you prepare thoughtful questions that show real interest in the role, team and company. You look at examples of strong questions about daily responsibilities, team culture, training, performance reviews and next steps in the process. You also notice which questions are better to avoid at this stage, for example detailed salary negotiations. You practise short dialogues where you move from answering the final question to asking your own, then to closing the interview politely. You learn useful phrases for showing enthusiasm, clarifying what will happen next and thanking interviewers for their time. By the end, you can end interviews with confidence, leaving a positive final impression instead of a silent or awkward goodbye.
1. Listening to a strong interview closing.
To begin this lesson, I want you to step into the very end of a real interview. Imagine you are in a video call with Ms Patel, the hiring manager at BrightWave Analytics. The main questions are finished. You have answered about your experience, your strengths and your motivation. Now she smiles and says, "So, do you have any questions for us?". What you do in the next two minutes can really change the impression you leave.
In this block, you will first listen to a short dialogue between Maria, a candidate, and Ms Patel. Maria asks a couple of thoughtful questions, shows her enthusiasm, clarifies the next steps in the process and then closes the interview politely. As you listen, do not worry about understanding every single word. Focus on the key ideas: what topics does Maria ask about, how does she sound, and which phrases help her sound professional but friendly.
After listening, you will answer a few short questions in writing. This will help you notice the structure and the useful language. Later in the lesson, you will create your own personalised version for your interviews.
The final minutes of an interview.
The end of an interview is not just a formality. It is often the part interviewers remember most clearly. They are tired, they have heard many similar answers, and suddenly they hear your questions, your tone and your final words. This is your chance to confirm, one more time, that you are professional, curious and genuinely interested.
In the audio you are about to hear, Maria is interviewing for a Project Coordinator role at BrightWave Analytics. The interviewer, Ms Patel, has just finished her last prepared question. Listen carefully to how Maria:
responds when she is invited to ask questions;
chooses two good topics for her questions;
asks politely about next steps;
closes with a warm but professional thank you and shows enthusiasm.
Useful phrases to notice.
Here are some expressions you will hear in the dialogue. They all help Maria sound confident and polite:
"Yes, I do, thank you."
"Could you tell me more about the team I would be joining?"
"What are the next steps in the interview process?"
"When might I expect to hear from you?"
"Thank you very much for your time today."
"It was a pleasure speaking with you."
"I am very interested in this opportunity."
"I look forward to hearing from you."
While you listen, try to notice where in the conversation she uses these phrases. Does she sound desperate or pushy? Or does she sound calm, clear and interested?
In the task below, you will listen to the full dialogue and then answer some simple questions to check your understanding.
Practice & Feedback
Listen to the dialogue between Maria and Ms Patel. You can listen more than once if you need. Then answer the three questions in your own words. Try to write complete sentences, not just single words.
Who is Maria and what job is she interviewing for?
What two main topics does she ask questions about before the end of the interview?
How does she show enthusiasm and close the conversation politely?
Do not worry about spelling every word perfectly. Focus on the key ideas. After you write your answers, you will receive feedback highlighting the important information and some useful phrases you can reuse in your own interviews.
2. Spotting smart and weak end-of-interview questions.
You have now heard one strong example of how to end an interview. Next, let us look more closely at the **questions** you might ask. Not all questions are equal. Some show that you have really thought about the role, the team and the company. Others make you sound as if you only care about money, holidays or how quickly you can leave the office.
In this part, you will read a list of possible questions a candidate might ask Ms Patel at the end of the same interview. Some of them are excellent for a first interview. They focus on daily responsibilities, team culture, training and performance. One or two might be OK **later**, for example after you receive an offer. A few are simply not appropriate at this stage.
Your job is to notice the difference. Which questions help you sound mature and professional? Which ones could create a negative impression? You will then choose some that you like and explain why they are strong, and pick one that you would avoid and say why. This reflection will help you plan better questions for your own interviews.
Strong and weak questions at the end of an interview.
At the end of a first interview, it is usually best to ask about:
the role and daily responsibilities;
the team, manager and working style;
training, onboarding and development;
how performance is measured and feedback is given;
the recruitment process and next steps.
Questions about detailed salary, holidays or working from home are often better for a later stage, for example when you have an offer. Of course, this can vary by country and company, but as a general rule it is safer to show interest in the work first.
Here are some questions a candidate could ask Ms Patel. Read them and think: is each one strong now, maybe later, or better to avoid?
A. Could you tell me more about the team I would be joining?
B. What does a typical day in this role look like?
C. How many days of holiday would I get in the first year?
D. How do you usually support new starters in their first months?
E. How is performance usually measured in this role?
F. Would it be possible to work from home three days a week?
G. What are the next steps in the interview process?
H. When might I expect to hear from you?
Typically, A, B, D, E, G and H are strong questions for a first interview. C and F might be better later, when you are closer to an offer and know that the company wants you.
In the activity below, you will choose two strong questions that you personally like, and one question that you would avoid at the end of a first interview. You will also explain your choices in your own words.
Practice & Feedback
Read the list of questions A–H again carefully. Imagine you are at the end of your own first interview for a job you really want.
Choose two questions from the list that you would be happy to ask. Write their letters (for example, B and E) and then rewrite the full questions in your own words.
Choose one question that you think is not a good idea at the end of a first interview. Again, write the letter and rewrite the question.
For each of your three choices, write one or two sentences explaining why you think it is strong or why you would avoid it.
Try to connect your explanation to interview strategy, not only grammar. For example, you might mention that a question shows interest in the role, or that it focuses too early on benefits.
Questions list for quick reference:
A. Could you tell me more about the team I would be joining?
B. What does a typical day in this role look like?
C. How many days of holiday would I get in the first year?
D. How do you usually support new starters in their first months?
E. How is performance usually measured in this role?
F. Would it be possible to work from home three days a week?
G. What are the next steps in the interview process?
H. When might I expect to hear from you?
3. Writing your own thoughtful questions.
Now it is time to move from analysing other people’s questions to creating your own. Interviewers can usually hear immediately when a candidate has prepared genuine, thoughtful questions, not something copied quickly from the internet. Your questions should connect to **your** target role, **your** experience and what you really want to know about the job.
In this block, we will look at some simple patterns you can use to build strong questions about the role, the team, training and performance. These patterns are quite flexible, so you can adapt them to any industry, from engineering to education to healthcare.
You will then write three or four questions that you could ask at the end of a first interview. Try to imagine the specific job you are aiming for. Think about what you would like to know about daily responsibilities, who you would work with, how success is measured and how the company supports new starters.
Do not worry if your questions are not perfect. This is your chance to experiment with the language and make it personal. You will get feedback, and you can reuse and refine your questions before a real interview.
Simple patterns for smart questions.
Here are some flexible question starters you can use and adapt:
Role and daily work
"What does a typical day in this role look like?"
"Could you tell me more about the main projects I would work on in the first six months?"
Team and manager
"Could you tell me more about the team I would be joining?"
"How is the team structured, and who would I report to?"
Training and development
"How do you usually support new starters in their first months?"
"What opportunities are there for training and development in this role?"
Performance and feedback
"How is performance usually measured in this role?"
"How often do you give feedback or hold performance reviews?"
These questions use common, interview-friendly vocabulary from this course: team, role, responsibilities, projects, support, training, development, performance, feedback.
Adapting the questions to your situation.
Think about your own professional background and target job. You can easily adapt these patterns by changing just a few words. For example:
In IT: "Could you tell me more about the development team I would be joining and the main tools you use?"
In healthcare: "What does a typical shift in this role look like, and how is the team organised?"
In education: "How do you usually support new teachers in their first months here?"
Try to avoid very general questions like "What does your company do?" if the answer is already on the website. Instead, show that you have done some research and now want more detail.
In the activity below, you will write three or four personalised questions for your own interviews, using these patterns as support.
Practice & Feedback
Now write three or four questions that you could realistically ask at the end of a first interview for a job you are interested in.
Follow these steps:
Think of a real or ideal job you might apply for (for example, project manager, nurse, English teacher, software developer).
Choose at least three different areas from the list: daily responsibilities, team and manager, training and development, performance and feedback, next steps in the process.
Use the patterns and vocabulary above to write one clear question for each area. Try to make them specific to your field.
Write your questions as if you will actually speak them in an interview. Do not write explanations now, only the questions. You will receive feedback on clarity, politeness and how natural they sound.
Example adapted questions:
In a marketing role: "Could you tell me more about the main campaigns I would be working on in the first few months?"
In a finance role: "How is performance usually measured for analysts in this team?"
In a customer service role: "How do you usually support new starters while they are learning the systems and products?"
4. Asking politely about next steps.
Another key part of closing an interview is asking about **what happens next**. Interviewers expect this question. It shows that you are organised and serious. However, the way you ask is important. You want to sound calm and professional, not impatient or worried.
In this block, we will focus only on language for clarifying next steps. You will see a few short question patterns that you can use in almost any interview. They are simple, but they sound polite and confident.
Then you will practise a mini role play in writing. You will see the interviewer’s final line and you will type your short spoken response, as if you are still in the interview. This is like a small chat, but you write instead of speak. You can then reuse your sentence in real life.
Pay attention to softening words like "usually", "might" and phrases like "when might I expect". These help you ask for information without sounding demanding.
Polite questions about the process.
Here are some natural ways to ask about the next steps in the recruitment process:
"What are the next steps in the interview process?"
"Could you tell me what usually happens after this stage?"
"When might I expect to hear from you?"
"By when do you expect to make a decision?"
Notice the polite question forms:
"Could you tell me…?" is softer than "Tell me."
"When might I expect…?" is gentler than "When will you tell me?"
Adding words like "usually" and "might" shows that you understand plans can change.
A short example exchange.
> Interviewer: Before we finish, do you have any questions about the process or next steps?
> Candidate: Yes, thank you. What are the next steps in the interview process?
> Interviewer: We will invite two or three candidates for a second interview next week.
> Candidate: I see, thank you. And when might I expect to hear from you?
> Interviewer: We hope to contact everyone by the end of next week.
> Candidate: That is very helpful, thank you.
The candidate asks two short, clear questions, and responds politely to the answers.
In the activity below, you will write your own short response to an interviewer’s final line. Imagine you are speaking and keep your answer to one or two sentences.
Practice & Feedback
Imagine you are still interviewing with Ms Patel at BrightWave Analytics. At the end of your conversation, she says:
> "Thank you for answering all my questions. Before we finish, do you have any questions about the process or next steps?"
Write one or two sentences that you would say in this moment. Your answer should:
start with a polite response (for example, "Yes, thank you." or "Actually, yes, I do.");
include one clear question about next steps, using the patterns above;
sound calm and professional, not impatient.
Write your answer as if you are speaking in the interview. You do not need to write the interviewer’s part, only your own short response.
Useful patterns:
"Yes, thank you. What are the next steps in the interview process?"
"Yes, I do, thank you. Could you tell me what usually happens after this stage?"
"Yes, thanks. When might I expect to hear from you?"
5. Linking your questions and closing politely.
You now have good questions about the role, the team and the process. The final skill is to **connect** everything smoothly: your last answer, your questions and your goodbye. Many candidates feel awkward here and either say too little or talk for too long.
In this block, you will see a complete mini-scene: the last part of Maria’s interview with Ms Patel. Notice how Maria moves from answering a final question, to asking two of her own, to checking next steps and then closing politely with thanks and enthusiasm.
We will also look at some linking phrases such as "Yes, I do, thank you", "That sounds great" and "Thanks, that answers my question". These small expressions make your conversation sound natural and connected.
Then you will write your own short script of the final minute of an interview, from the moment the interviewer says, "Do you have any questions for us?" to your final goodbye.
A complete example of the final minute.
Read this short scripted version of the end of Maria’s interview.
> Ms Patel: That was my final question. Thank you for your answers today. Before we finish, do you have any questions for us?
> Maria: Yes, I do, thank you. I have a question about the team I would be joining. Could you tell me more about how the team is structured and who I would work with most closely?
> Ms Patel: Of course… [she explains].
> Maria: That sounds great, thank you. How do you usually support new starters in their first months?
> Ms Patel: We have a buddy system and regular training… [she explains].
> Maria: Thanks, that answers my question. And what are the next steps in the interview process?
> Ms Patel: We will hold second interviews next week and contact everyone within two weeks.
> Maria: I see, thank you. When might I expect to hear from you?
> Ms Patel: By the end of next week.
> Maria: Perfect, that is very clear. Thank you very much for your time today. It was a pleasure speaking with you, and I am very interested in this opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you.
> Ms Patel: Thank you, Maria. Goodbye.
Linking phrases to make it flow.
Notice how Maria uses short phrases to connect each step:
to answer the invitation: "Yes, I do, thank you."
to react to information: "That sounds great, thank you."
to close a question: "Thanks, that answers my question."
to move to next steps: "And what are the next steps in the interview process?"
to close the whole interview: "Thank you very much for your time today.", "It was a pleasure speaking with you.", "I am very interested in this opportunity.", "I look forward to hearing from you."
You do not need to copy all of these, but choosing two or three that feel natural to you can really improve your final impression.
In the task below, you will write your own short version of this final minute, using linking and closing phrases that suit your style.
Practice & Feedback
Imagine you are at the end of a real interview for your target job. The interviewer says:
> "That was my final question. Before we finish, do you have any questions for us?"
Write a short script (about 5–8 sentences) for the final minute of this interview, including:
your response to the invitation to ask questions;
two good questions about the role, team, training, performance or culture;
one question about next steps or timing;
a polite, enthusiastic closing with thanks and a final sentence of interest.
Write only your lines, not the interviewer’s answers. Try to use some of the linking phrases from the example ("Yes, I do, thank you.", "That sounds great", "Thanks, that answers my question", "Thank you very much for your time today" etc.), but adapt them so they feel natural for you.
Useful closing phrases:
"Yes, I do, thank you. I have a question about..."
"That sounds great, thank you. And I also wanted to ask about..."
"Thanks, that answers my question. And what are the next steps in the interview process?"
"I see, thank you. When might I expect to hear from you?"
"Thank you very much for your time today. It was a pleasure speaking with you."
"I am very interested in this opportunity and I look forward to hearing from you."
6. Simulating a full end-of-interview chat.
You have built all the pieces: strong questions, polite next-step phrases and a clear closing. To finish this lesson, you will put everything together in a short, realistic simulation. Imagine you are back in the online interview with Ms Patel at BrightWave Analytics. The main interview is almost finished, and you have one last chance to leave a positive impression.
In this final block, you will see the interviewer’s lines as if they are messages in a chat. Your task is to write **your** side of the interaction: your questions, your reactions to her answers and your closing words. Treat it like a written role play of the last two or three minutes of the interview.
Try to use the language you have practised: questions about the team, daily responsibilities, training or performance, one question about next steps, and a warm but professional goodbye. Keep your answers concise, as if you are really speaking. After you finish, you will receive feedback and a short example reply from Ms Patel, so you can feel how the conversation might sound in real life.
Your final task: the last two minutes with Ms Patel.
Below is a short script with only the interviewer’s lines. You will respond as the candidate. Think of it like a text chat version of a video interview.
> Ms Patel: That was my last question about your experience. Thank you for your clear answers today.
> Ms Patel: Before we finish, do you have any questions for us about the role or the company?
> [You ask one or two thoughtful questions about the role, team, culture, training or performance.]
> Ms Patel: Thanks, those are good questions. [She gives short answers.]
> Ms Patel: Is there anything else you would like to ask?
> [You ask one question about next steps in the process or timing.]
> Ms Patel: Sure. [She explains the next steps.]
> Ms Patel: Any final comments from your side before we end the call?
> [You close the interview politely with thanks and enthusiasm.]
Checklist for a strong closing.
Before you write your version, read this checklist and try to include all the points:
You accept the invitation to ask questions: "Yes, I do, thank you."
You ask at least two smart questions about the role, team, culture, training or performance.
You ask one clear, polite question about next steps or when you might hear back.
You react briefly and positively to answers: "That sounds great", "Thanks, that answers my question".
You thank the interviewer for their time.
You show enthusiasm without sounding desperate: "I am very interested in this opportunity", "I look forward to hearing from you".
In the activity, you will write your side of this chat in one block of text, but you can use separate lines to show different turns if you wish.
Practice & Feedback
Now it is your turn to perform the full end-of-interview moment in writing.
Imagine the interviewer says the lines shown above. Write your side of the conversation, as if you are speaking during a real interview. Include:
a first reply accepting the invitation to ask questions;
one or two thoughtful questions about the role, team, culture, training or performance;
short positive reactions to the interviewer’s imaginary answers (for example, "That sounds great, thank you");
one polite question about next steps or timing;
a final closing with thanks and a sentence showing genuine interest.
Aim for around 8–10 sentences in total. You can write each turn on a new line starting with "You:" if that helps you organise your ideas.
Interviewer lines for context:
Ms Patel: That was my last question about your experience. Thank you for your clear answers today.
Ms Patel: Before we finish, do you have any questions for us about the role or the company?
