The Questions You Should Ask During the Interview

”Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers" - Attributed to Voltaire

Typically, at the end of the interview, the candidate will be given an opportunity to ‘ask some questions.’ Make no mistake about you being done at this point, this is also an important part of the interview process. They are letting you ask the questions, but they are going to be judging the quality and focus of your questions.

The worst answer when you are asked this question is ‘No, I don’t have any questions.’  Having zero questions shows a lack of interest in the job/company or poor preparation. The second worst answer to this question is to pull out a list of 20-30 questions and settle in to try and answer most of them. 

Time is not unlimited at this point, so you need to be aware of the time that is still available during the interview slot.  Likely you will have enough time for 2-3 questions.  More questions than that and you run the risk of annoying the person interviewing you. 

Create a list of questions.  This list of questions then allows you to pick the ones that you think are most related to the interviewer and their job function.  Typically, you should ask different questions of different people.  This will help you round out your perspective and cover most of your question list.  Sometimes you may want to ask the same question of more than one person to cross check the answer or dig a bit deeper.

When interviewing with a company, asking the right questions can help you gauge whether the role and organization are a good fit for your career goals and values. Here are some insightful questions you can ask:

1. Role-Specific Questions

• Can you walk me through a typical day or week in this role?

• What are the most immediate challenges you’d like me to tackle in the first six months?

• How is performance typically measured and reviewed for this position?

• What kind of projects will I be working on initially?

2. Team and Company Culture

• How would you describe the company culture here?

• Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with? How does this team work together?

• What values are most important to the company, and how do they manifest in day-to-day operations?

3. Opportunities for Growth

• What does career progression look like for someone in this role?

• Are there opportunities for mentorship or professional development?

• How does the company support continuing education or skill development?

4. Company Vision and Stability

• Where do you see the company in the next 3-5 years?

• How has the company adapted to changes in the industry or market in the past few years?

• What are the company's main goals for the upcoming year?

5. Feedback and Performance

• How do you typically give feedback to employees?

• What does success look like in this role, and how will I know if I’m on the right track?

• What kind of challenges do employees face here when trying to advance their careers?

6. Management Style

• How would you describe the management style of the person I would report to?

• How does the leadership team support employees’ growth and development?

• Can you describe a time when a manager successfully helped someone grow in the company?

7. Company and Industry Trends

• What are the biggest challenges facing the company/industry right now?

• How is the company positioning itself to stay competitive in the market?

• What is the company doing to innovate or stay ahead of industry trends?

8. Work-Life Balance and Inclusion

• What initiatives does the company have to foster diversity and inclusion?

• What is the company’s approach to flexible schedules and remote work?

• Can you share examples of how the company has supported diversity in leadership?

The final questions for the hiring manager or the human resources leader is to talk about next steps.  Ask a question to understand the process, the likely timeline and take away some of the stress of the unknown.

Here are two examples.

• What are the next steps in the interview process?

• Is there anything else you would like to know about my background or qualifications?

If an interview is going well, then there is a point of time when things shift from the interviewer asking you tough questions, to that person starting to sell you on the position at their company.  All of this requires some advanced preparation and a clear mind during the interview.  By asking thoughtful questions, you not only show your interest in the company but also ensure that you make a more informed decision if you are offered the role.