The only catch in this picture-perfect interview is that you may have just blown your chances of getting the dream job.
You aren't alone. Many bright candidates think that the interviewers were just being polite and expected you to say "no". HR professionals say nothing can be further from truth, as interviewing is much deeper than showcasing a collection of skills or preparing great answers. Interviewers also want to know more about you and, therefore, ask the final question. In the process, it offers the candidate a fantastic chance to show that he has done his homework and researched the company. Not having questions to ask the interviewer is nothing but a missed opportunity.
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So while you may try to be polite, the interviewer might interpret it as a lack of confidence. Smart candidates, therefore, would grab the opportunity and respond by saying "Yes, I do".
HR experts say that this response is, however, just a good beginning. For example, it will reflect very poorly on you if you ask for information that the company's website already provides. In short, don't ask generic and standard questions because most savvy interviewers will easily distinguish them from the more thoughtful, insightful questions.
It would be much better if you mention certain products or services the company provides and ask for finer details surrounding them. Or, say that you have read on the company website that employees have done presentations at a recent industry conference and whether it's a typical opportunity in the job for which you have applied.
There are other examples as well. An HR consultant says he was pleasantly surprised when a candidate asked how his performance will be reviewed and whether the company has an informal review system and, if so, how frequent that is. Here's another one. One candidate asked who the company considered its top competitor and why. You may already have an idea of the company's major competitors, but the question will prompt the interviewer to give you insights you can't find anywhere else.
These are questions that challenge the interviewer, as he/she has to give clear, specific answers. And no sane employer, the consultant says, will take offence to such questions because ultimately an interview is a two-way street (unlike the conventional notion that jobseekers have to humbly approach His Majesty's throne in the interview process) where you are interviewing the employer just as much as the employer is interviewing you. So, both the parties are on an equal footing and need to interact and communicate with each other. After all, you will get the job only if the employer finds you suitable enough and vice versa.
Questions such as "What are the future goals of your company?" or "What is the company's culture?" sound great but may be considered boring and unimaginative, as everyone else asks them too. If you have to stand out in the crowd, ask questions that are unconventional. For example, you want a feedback from the interviewers. Instead of asking "Will I get this job?", which may be considered too blunt and not tactful enough, try this one: "Is there any reason I am not fully qualified for this position?" or "Would you have reservations in selecting me for the position?"
That way, you force the interviewer into saying something. Even if you don't get the job, you would at least get an honest feedback, which can be useful when you appear for an interview in some other company.
An HR consultant says the best question he has heard a candidate asking his interviewer was "What excites you about coming into work every day?" The interviewer was stumped but had no option but to narrate her experience over the years to hard sell the company's work culture. In the process, the interviewee gained valuable insights that no company brochure can ever provide. And, of course, he got the job.