Ones that show you are an enthusiastic about, interested in and eager to work with the company. And not ones that show you’ve done patchy or zero research, that show you are greedy for benefits and that show you are focussed on the length of holidays you can take.

So anything that resembles “what kind of work do you do here?” is out – it will make you look completely incompetent and under prepared. But asking about in-house training programmes and career paths indicate that you are looking to be with the company for the long haul and want to develop yourself within their structures.

Finally, there are questions that are being asked by interviewees, particularly younger ones, regarding the ethical and environmental records of the firms they are considering joining. Where their skills are in high demand, the onus is on the prospective employer to answer them well. If that balance shifts back to the employer, in other words if there are more people out there looking for these jobs, then asking those questions may become a disqualifier.

Eoghan McDermott is Director of Careers, The Communication Clinic . www.communicationsclinic.ie