"Now, do you have any questions?"

The interviewer's last question is frequently the most important one. That's when the interviewer smiles and says: “Now, do you have questions for us?” Your response at this point often determines if you continue as a job seeker or transform into a job getter.

But first a quiz.

Of the following five behaviours candidates exhibit in job interviews, what behaviour do you think recruiters find most unforgivable?

1. Poor personal appearance
2. Overemphasis on money
3. Failure to look at interviewer while interviewing
4. Doesn't ask questions
5. Late to interview

The answer is number 4. Surprised? Candidates who do not ask any questions represent the number one behaviour that causes recruiters to lose confidence, according to my admittedly survey of over 150 recruiters, job coaches, and hiring managers. Still, it's not too bold to make this statement: you cannot succeed in a job interview without asking a number of well-considered questions. Says Jenna Cohen - Financial Recruitment Consultant at Recruitfin: “I always tell my candidates that as much as you need to 'sell' yourself to the prospective employer or recruiter it is also necessary for them to inform you accurately and fully about the prospective position and it is up to you, the candidate, to make sure that if information isn't volunteered, you ask enough questions to obtain 100% clarity.”

Of course, even great questions will not get you a job offer if you come in with other problems. Here, in order, are the ten attitudes that most often condemn job candidates.

1. Doesn't ask questions
2. Condemnation of past employer
3. Inability to take criticism
4. Poor personal appearance
5. Indecisive, cynical, lazy
6. Overbearing, over aggressive, “know it all”
7. Late to interview
8. Failure to look at interviewer while interviewing
9. Unable to express self clearly
10. Overemphasis on money

Vested in the interview

Every job, interview, if the job seeker is lucky, gets to this stage of the job interview. What you do now controls whether or not you get an offer. The résumé gets you in the door, but whether you leave as a job seeker or employee depends on how you conduct yourself during the interview.

Recruiters expect candidates to ask enough questions to form a good opinion about whether they want the job or not. If you don't ask enough questions, recruiters who may otherwise be willing to make you an offer may nevertheless reject you because they have no confidence you know what you would be getting into.

Asking questions is an excellent way to demonstrate your sophistication and qualifications. The questions you choose indicate your depth of knowledge of the field as well as your general level of intelligence. Asking questions also enables you to break down the formal interview/candidate relationship, establish an easy flow of conversation, and build trust and rapport. The matter of rapport is critical. Remember, most finalists for a job are more or less evenly matched in terms of qualifications. What gives the winning candidate the nod is rapport.

Your questions steer the interview the way you want it to go. Questions are a form of control. You can also use questions to divert an interviewer's line of questioning. If you sense the interviewer is leading up to a subject that you'd rather avoid — your job hopping, for example — ask a question about another topic. After a lengthy exchange, the interviewer may not return to her original line of questioning.

The more senior the position you are seeking, the more important it is to ask sophisticated and tough questions. Such questions demonstrate your understanding of the subtext and context of this position, as well as your confidence in challenging the interviewer. Hiring managers will judge you as much on the inquiries you make as on the responses you provide. If you don't ask sufficiently detailed questions, it will demonstrate lack of initiative and leadership qualities that a senior level position demands.

Fifteen rules for framing better questions

The art of asking questions is considering what responses you prefer and framing the questions to maximise your chances of getting the answers you want. Here are 15 rules for asking better questions:

1. Ask open-ended questions
2. Keep it short
3. Don't interrupt
4. Getting to yes
5. Use inclusive language
6. Ask questions the interviewer can answer
7. Avoid questions that are obvious or easy to determine
8. Avoid “why” questions
9. Avoid asking questions that call for a superlative
10. Avoid leading or loaded questions
11. Avoid veiled threats
12. Avoid questions that hint of desperation
13. Asking questions that focus on what the company can do for you
14. Don't ask questions that are irrelevant to the job or organisation
15. Relax and smile

Ten great questions to ask:

1. What's the makeup of the team as far as experience? Am I going to be a mentor or will I be mentored?
2. What does this company value the most and how do you think my work for you will further these values?
3. What kinds of processes are in place to help me work collaboratively?
4. What can I bring Company XYZ to round out the team?
5. Do team members typically eat lunch together or do they typically eat at their desk?
6. What's the most important thing I can do to help within the first 90 days of my employment?
7. Do you have any questions or concerns about my ability to perform this job?
8. When top performers leave the company why do they leave and where do they usually go?
9. What do you see in me? What are my strongest assets and possible weaknesses? Do you have any concerns that I need to clear up in order to be the top candidate?
10. Who are the best people on my team? What makes him or her the best? Can I meet them?

Interview with courage, don't be afraid to ask questions - your dream job exists as long as you take it based on fact and information, not big ideas and false promises.