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The best questions to ask an interviewer are specific to the role and show you are already thinking about doing the job well. Ask what success looks like in the first months, how the team works, what the biggest challenge is right now, and what the next steps are. Prepare five, and ask two or three.

Why the Questions You Ask Matter

"Do you have any questions for us?" is not a polite ending. It is the last part of the interview, and interviewers do judge it. Saying "No, I think you covered everything" tells them you have not thought much about the job. A sharp question tells them the opposite: you are picturing yourself in the role and you want to know what it would take to do it well.

Your questions do three jobs at once:

  • They show interest and preparation. A question that could only be asked about this team, at this company, proves you did the research.
  • They show how you think. Asking about how success is measured or what slows the team down signals someone who cares about results, not just the offer.
  • They help you decide. An interview runs both ways. The answers tell you whether you actually want the job, which matters as much as whether they want you.

Below are 36 questions grouped by topic, then a short guide to which ones fit each interview stage, and the questions to leave out.

Questions About the Role

  1. What does a typical week look like in this role? Turns a job description into a real picture of the work.
  2. What would you want me to achieve in the first 90 days? Shows you are thinking about delivering, and gives you a target to talk to in later rounds.
  3. What is the biggest challenge someone in this role will face in the first year? Interviewers usually answer this honestly, and it often reveals the real reason the role is open.
  4. Is this a new role, or am I replacing someone? If replacing, what did they do well?
  5. Which parts of the job description matter most, and which are nice to have?
  6. How much of the role is hands-on work versus planning, meetings and coordination?
  7. What would make you say, a year from now, that this hire was a great decision? Gets the interviewer to describe your success in their own words.

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Questions About the Team

  1. Who would I work with most closely day to day?
  2. How does the team decide what to work on? Reveals how much autonomy you would have and how priorities are set.
  3. How does the team handle disagreements about priorities or approach?
  4. How does the team communicate: mostly meetings, written updates, chat?
  5. What do you enjoy most about working with this team? A warm question that is easy to answer. Hesitation in the reply is also information.
  6. How does this team work with other departments?
  7. How has the team changed over the past year?

Questions About Success and Growth

  1. How is performance measured in this role? Tells you whether success is clearly defined or left vague.
  2. How often would I get feedback, and in what form?
  3. What does progression from this role usually look like?
  4. Can you tell me about someone who started in a similar role and grew here?
  5. What learning or training support is available?
  6. What separates the people who do well here from those who struggle? One of the most useful questions you can ask. The answer is usually a candid description of the culture.

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Questions About the Company

  1. What are the company’s main priorities for the next year, and how does this team contribute? Connects your role to the bigger picture and shows strategic interest.
  2. I read about [a recent launch, expansion or announcement]. How has that affected this team?
  3. What do you think makes people stay at this company?
  4. How would you describe the culture to a friend?
  5. What is one thing you would change about working here, if you could?
  6. How has the company changed since you joined?
  7. Why did you join, and what has kept you here? Personal questions often get the most honest answers in the whole interview.

Question 22 only works if you fill in the blank with something real from your research. A specific reference to recent news is one of the clearest signals of preparation you can give.

Questions About the Process and Next Steps

  1. What are the next steps in the process, and when should I expect to hear back? Always worth asking. It saves you days of guessing after the interview.
  2. Who else will I meet in the later rounds?
  3. Is there anything in my background that makes you hesitate about my fit for this role? Bold, but it gives you the chance to address a concern before you leave the room.
  4. Is there anything else I can share that would help your decision?
  5. When would you ideally like the new person to start?

Question 30 takes confidence. Ask it calmly, listen without getting defensive, and answer the concern briefly with evidence. If the interviewer says there are no concerns, you have lost nothing.

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Which Questions to Ask at Each Interview Stage

StageWho you are talking toBest questions to ask
Recruiter or phone screenA recruiter, often not on the teamThe process and timeline, what the hiring manager values most, why the role is open, working pattern and location
Hiring manager interviewYour future managerThe first 90 days, how performance is measured, the biggest challenge, how they like to work with their team
Technical or panel roundFuture peers and specialistsHow the team decides what to build, tools and ways of working, how disagreements are resolved, what a typical week looks like
Final round or senior leaderA director, department head or founderCompany priorities for the year, how the team fits the strategy, what keeps people here, any hesitations about your fit

Four More Questions for Specific Situations

  1. For a remote or hybrid role: How does the team stay connected and make decisions when people are not in the same place?
  2. For a startup or fast-growing company: What would need to go right for the company to hit its goals this year?
  3. For a graduate or entry-level role: What does the first month of training and support look like?
  4. For a leadership role: What is the team’s biggest strength today, and where does it most need to improve?

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Questions to Avoid at the End of an Interview

Anything you could find on the website

Asking "What does the company do?" or "Where are your offices?" shows you did not prepare. Use your research to ask a deeper question instead.

Salary, holidays and benefits in the first round

These matter, but in an early interview they can sound like your main interest. Raise pay with the recruiter, or wait until the company brings it up or makes an offer. If the recruiter asks for your expectations, answer then.

"Did I get the job?"

It puts the interviewer on the spot, and they usually cannot answer. Ask about next steps and timeline instead, which gets you the same information politely.

Yes-or-no questions

"Do you like working here?" gets a one-word reply. "What do you enjoy most about working here?" starts a real conversation.

Questions the interviewer already answered

Listen during the interview and cross off anything that was covered. If your prepared questions were all answered, say so and ask a follow-up on one of the answers instead.

Negative or loaded questions

"I read bad reviews about management. Is that true?" puts the interviewer on the defensive. Ask "What makes people stay here?" and read the answer.

How Many Questions to Ask, and How to Ask Them

1

Prepare five, ask two or three

Some questions will be answered during the interview, so prepare more than you need. Two or three thoughtful questions is the right number for most interviews. In a short screen, one or two is enough.

2

Put the best one first

Time often runs short at the end. Lead with the question you most want answered, usually about success in the role or the biggest challenge.

3

Follow up on the answer

Treat it as a conversation, not a checklist. A short follow-up like "That makes sense. How does the team handle that today?" shows you were listening.

4

Connect it back to you when it fits

If the interviewer describes a challenge you have solved before, say so in a sentence. It is a natural moment to add one last piece of evidence.

5

Close with next steps

End by asking about the timeline, then thank them. You leave knowing when to expect news and when it is reasonable to follow up.

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Example: How It Sounds in the Interview

Example: entry-level candidate, graduate marketing role at a retail company
Thank you, I do have a couple. First, what would you want a new graduate to have achieved by the end of their first three months? And you mentioned the team is launching a new loyalty programme next year. What part would someone in this role play in that? Finally, what are the next steps in the process?
Example: mid-career candidate, operations manager at a logistics company
You said the biggest challenge is keeping delivery times steady during peak season. How is the team measuring that today, and what has been tried so far? I ask because I led a similar change in my last role. And to close: who else would I meet in the next round?
Example: senior candidate, head of engineering at a fintech startup
What would need to go right for the company to hit its goals this year, and where does engineering most need to improve to get there? Also, is there anything in my background that makes you hesitate? I would rather address it now than leave it open.

Practise the End of the Interview Out Loud

Most people prepare answers and forget the last five minutes. Then the question comes, the mind goes blank, and the best they can manage is "What is the culture like?". Saying your questions out loud a few times, and hearing yourself follow up on an answer, makes that moment easy.

MockIF runs a full mock interview built from your CV and the job description, in voice or avatar mode. The AI interviewer asks the questions this role is likely to bring, follows up when an answer stays vague, and gives you scored feedback on each response, so you can rehearse the whole interview, ending included. It’s free to start with 5 credits, then monthly or 3-monthly plans, or one-off credit packs (see pricing). Before that, prepare the opening with our guide to "tell me about yourself", and the motivation question with "why do you want to work here?".

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good questions to ask at the end of an interview?
Questions about the role and how success is measured work best: "What would you want me to achieve in the first 90 days?", "What is the biggest challenge in this role?", "What separates people who do well here?" and "What are the next steps?". They show you are already thinking about doing the job.
How many questions should you ask an interviewer?
Prepare about five and ask two or three. Some will be answered during the interview, so having spares means you are never left with nothing. In a short phone screen, one or two good questions is enough.
Is it bad to have no questions at the end of an interview?
Usually, yes. Saying you have no questions can come across as low interest or little preparation. If your prepared questions were all answered, say that, and ask a follow-up about something the interviewer mentioned.
Should you ask about salary in an interview?
Not in the first interview with the hiring manager, unless they raise it. Pay is a normal topic for the recruiter, and for later stages or the offer. If you are asked for your expectations, give a researched range.
What is the best question to ask at the end of an interview?
There is no single best question, but "What would make this hire a great decision a year from now?" is hard to beat. It shows ambition, gets the interviewer to describe success in the role, and gives you something concrete to talk to in later rounds.
Is it okay to ask the interviewer if they have concerns about you?
Yes, if you ask it calmly and listen well. "Is there anything in my background that makes you hesitate?" gives you the chance to address a doubt before the decision is made. Keep your reply short and backed by evidence.

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