I worked in HR and recruiting for two decades. I have a pretty good idea of what it takes to get hired.
In this article, I’ll use my years of hiring experience to tell you:
Why it matters which questions you ask your interviewer
The top 10 questions you should ask to make the hiring manager think, “We need to hire this person!”
3 questions you should avoid asking at all costs
The Questions You Ask Matter
So here’s the thing. You’ll get about 10 minutes to ask questions. That’s only 2-3 questions. You have to make them count.
The questions you ask are an opportunity to further sell yourself. If there have been gaps in your candidacy so far or parts of your personality that haven’t come through, you can express those through your questions.
And remember that it’s not just the company interviewing you. You are also interviewing the company. You’re a catch! And your questions are also ensuring that they’re a good fit for you.
10 Killer Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview
From my decades of interviewing candidates, these are the top 10 questions that I’d personally recommend.
Imagine I'm hired—and six months down the road, you say, “Wow, I am SO glad we hired you.” What did I get done in those 6 months that gave you that reaction?"
Ask this question if: You feel like your ambition hasn’t come through yet.
If you ask this question, the interviewer will know how results-driven and forward-thinking you are. It shows you’re intentional with how you show up to work and that you value excellence.
It’s also extremely helpful for you because you’re essentially getting a blueprint of what success in this role looks like.
And if the interviewer gives a vague, bumbling answer, that might be a clue that the role isn’t well-defined or that the company doesn’t think strategically about performance.
The wording of this question also contains a little extra magic. It invites the interviewer to visualize you as their successful candidate, which might plant a little seed in their brain.
Earlier in the interview you mentioned _______, which made me wonder _______.
Ask this question if: You want to convey your presence and listening skills.
I like to call this question the “pick up and run.” You pick up something the interviewer said earlier and then run with it.
Your question could be: “You mentioned earlier that you’re thinking about getting into podcasting as a marketing strategy. Can you tell me more about your goals for that?”
Or it could be: “I heard you say that conferences have been one of your biggest challenges. What are the biggest issues with conferences you’d like to fix?”
A question like this shows you are an engaged listener.
And I can say that, as a hiring manager, we receive so many generic questions from interviewees. Follow-up questions like this force the interviewer to riff on an “alive” topic—so they won’t be able to say anything rehearsed. Which is refreshing!
I saw in my research that _______, which made me wonder _______.
Ask this question if: You want to stand out for your preparedness.
This is a research-based question. It shows you’ve done your homework.
In a way, preparing for this interview was your first “test assignment.” So asking a question like this shows how thorough you’d be with your assignments if you get the job.
Your question could be: “I saw on your CEO’s LinkedIn that she talks a lot about ‘velocity,’ and I’m curious how that fits into the company’s approach.”
Or it could be: “I read an article about the company on TechCrunch that mentioned your recent expansion into international markets, which made me wonder how that’s affecting the team’s priorities.”
If you ask a research question, make certain that you reference recent news. I've seen people do this too many times but the article was about fundraising 2 years ago 🙃
Are there any areas of my experience you'd like me to elaborate on?
Ask this question if: You sense the interviewer has lingering questions about your background or if you want to address any potential concerns before the interview ends.
This question conveys your self-awareness and proactivity. It shows you're open to feedback and that you want to speak to any potential gaps in your candidacy. When asked thoughtfully, it accomplishes several things:
Gives the interviewer permission to probe deeper into areas they might be hesitant to bring up
Shows you're confident enough to discuss potential weaknesses
Provides you a final opportunity to address any concerns that might otherwise go unspoken
Demonstrates your ability to handle constructive feedback
I remember the first candidate who asked me a similar question: “Is there anything I should spend more time clarifying in my next interviews?” And I thought, “Yes! How refreshing.”
What's your story with [Company]? I'd love to hear what brought you here and how it fits into your career journey.
Ask this question if: You haven’t felt very connected to your interviewer and want to build rapport.
This question can soften the stark “interviewer-interviewee” roles a bit and give rise to more of a human-to-human connection.
And when you foster a more personal bond with the interviewer, it can only help your chances. Having worked in HR, I can say that the hiring manager's goal is to find the best person for the role. But the reality is—likability is a factor. All else equal, we’d rather work with people who we like and feel connected to.
And a question like this creates rapport and connection.
This question also gives you some less polished insight into the company culture and whether people actually like working there.
What’s the most pressing challenge your team is facing that you hope this hire will solve?
Ask this question if: the conversation has been overly focused on your qualifications and not on how you can help the company’s needs.
This question shows that you are oriented toward problem-solving and that you think about how to add value.
It’ll also show you the actual challenges the team is facing and not just what’s in the job description, which can clarify the type of impact you may have.
Plus, knowing the team’s pain point gives you critical information. If you can effectively portray yourself as the solution to their problems, then you’ll be in a strong position.
Can you tell me about a project that didn’t go according to plan, how the team handled it, and what you learned from it?
Ask this question if: You haven’t yet demonstrated your growth mindset.
This question shows you have a healthy relationship with failure. You understand that things don’t always go as planned and that mistakes are always a chance for learning.
It also gives you vital information about how this team handles stress and if they do seem to learn from their mistakes.
What makes this team special?
Ask this question if: you haven’t yet shown your interest in team dynamics or if the vibe has felt overly serious and dry.
When you ask this question, you are giving the interviewer a chance to celebrate and reflect on what makes their team awesome. In other words, you’re giving them an opportunity to feel good!
And if they leave the interview feeling good, that will help your chances.
Plus, it shows that you care about people, relationships, and community.
This is an especially great question if you’re applying for a company that heavily values team connection.
How has the company (or team) changed in the past few years, and where do you think it’s headed?
Ask this question if: You haven’t yet expressed your interest in big-picture thinking.
This question shows that you can zoom out and look at the big picture. You’ll show off your strategic mindset and your interest in the business as a whole.
Plus, from the position of the hiring manager, I can tell you that this is a fun question to answer. It lets the interviewer put on the CEO hat for a moment.
And you’ll get a little insight into future opportunities that you might be able to orient toward.
For example, if they mention they’re going to try out paid ads in the next year, that’s your chance to either talk about your positive experiences running Facebook ads or to take a mental note to sign up for an ads course if you get the role.
Once I'm plugged in, what are other ways I can help and get involved in the company?
Ask this question if: You haven’t yet conveyed your team-player attitude and eagerness to contribute.
This question will immediately turn you into an asset.
This shows an interest in volunteering time with community activities, working across silos, and helping the company grow that doesn't cost the company any more money.
I can tell you that when I interviewed employees, my ideal candidates wanted to commit and invest in the company. The more bought-in and involved you are the better.
Avoid These 3 Questions at All Costs
As a hiring manager, I can tell you that certain questions an interviewee asks will make the interviewer roll their eyes.
Honestly, asking a lazy question could actually hurt your chances, even if the rest of your job interview has gone well.
The interview isn’t over yet. This is your chance to keep shining. So don’t botch it with this list of questions.
1. What are the expectations of the job?
🤦🏽♀️
You’d be shocked at how common this question is. And whenever I got it as a hiring manager, I couldn’t stand it.
If you ask this, all the interviewer will think is, “Didn’t you read the job description?”
Avoid this one. It’ll bore their socks off and you’ll come off as unprepared and lazy.
2. How quickly do people typically get promoted?
Don’t get me wrong, this is useful information to know.
But in an interview, you're in a stage where you’re trying to sell yourself.
Asking this question can come across as you care more about moving up the ladder than doing an excellent job in your role.
I’d instead ask about growth opportunities and career development within the company.
If you do receive an offer, but you still don’t feel clear on their promotion policy, that’s the time to get more specific.
3. Can I have a 4-day workweek? (or similar questions)
Don’t ask if you can work remotely, increase your pay, or anything about benefits.
Look, that stuff is extremely important. But now isn’t the time to ask about it.
Those questions are part of your negotiation. And you haven’t gotten the job yet, so trying to negotiate now is jumping way ahead in the hiring process.
Asking questions about salary or benefits can easily put them off. It can make you come off as presumptuous.
But again, once you have received an offer, then it’s completely valid to negotiate these items.
(If you do want to learn more about the when and how of negotiating a job offer, here’s a comprehensive guide.)
Get Support to Succeed in Your Career
If you’d like more support excelling in your interview process, you might be interested in working with a career coach.
Career coaches can help uplevel your interviewing skills by preparing you for the exact types of questions you’ll receive and by running you through mock interviews.
And if you want to take a step back from your career path and get clarity on what direction to take your work and how to get there, then a career coach can make a great guide.
If you’re interested in working with a career coach, learn more here.
Commentaires