Skip to main content

Questions to Ask Interviewers

When the interviewer asks "Do you have any questions for me?", this is NOT optional. Always have questions prepared. This shows engagement, curiosity, and helps you evaluate if the company is right for YOU.

Why Asking Questions Matters​

  1. Shows genuine interest - Demonstrates you care about more than just getting any job
  2. Gathers crucial information - Helps you decide if you actually want to work there
  3. Demonstrates critical thinking - Shows you're evaluating the opportunity thoughtfully
  4. Continues the conversation - Keeps you engaged and memorable
Never Say "No Questions"

Saying "I don't have any questions" signals either:

  • You didn't prepare (shows lack of interest)
  • You don't care about the role
  • You're not thinking critically about the opportunity

Always have at least 3-5 questions prepared.

Types of Questions​

Tailor your questions based on who you're speaking with.

Standard Questions (Works for Anyone)​

These questions work well regardless of who you're interviewing with:

About the Role​

How has this position become available?

  • Is it a new position (company growing)?
  • Is it a backfill (someone left - why?)?
  • Is it a reorganization (team restructuring)?

Can you describe a typical day for someone in this role?

  • Helps you understand actual day-to-day work
  • May reveal if the job differs from the description

If I was in this role, what would be your expectations for me for the first 30, 60, or 90 days?

  • Shows you're thinking about success metrics
  • Reveals what they prioritize
  • Helps you understand ramp-up timeline

Can you describe the types of people that are generally successful in this role?

  • Reveals cultural fit requirements
  • Helps you understand unwritten expectations
  • Shows what skills/traits they value most

About the Company and Industry​

Where do you see this company going in the future?

  • Reveals growth plans and vision
  • Shows leadership's thinking
  • Helps you assess stability

What challenges do you see ahead for this company?

  • Reveals honest concerns
  • Shows you're thinking strategically
  • Uncovers potential problems

Where do you see this industry going?

  • Demonstrates industry awareness
  • Shows you're thinking long-term
  • Reveals their strategic thinking

What challenges do you see for this industry?

  • Similar benefits to company challenges
  • Shows you think broadly

Personal Questions (Focus on the Interviewer)​

These questions make the conversation more personal and memorable:

Understanding Their Experience​

What do you enjoy most about working at this company?

  • Reveals what the company does well
  • Gives insight into culture
  • Personal answers are more genuine than rehearsed ones

If you were the CEO of this company, what would you change?

  • Uncovers pain points
  • Shows what frustrates employees
  • Reveals areas for improvement
  • Be careful with this one - only ask if the vibe is good

How long have you been with the company, and what has your career progression looked like?

  • Reveals growth opportunities
  • Shows if the company promotes from within
  • Indicates if people stay long-term

What's been your biggest challenge since joining?

  • Reveals real problems you might face
  • Shows honesty about difficulties
  • Helps set realistic expectations

Technical Questions (Best for Hiring Managers / Tech Leads)​

If you're speaking with someone technical, ask about the work:

About the Tech Stack​

What does your tech stack look like, and why did you choose those technologies?

  • Shows you care about technical decisions
  • Reveals if they make thoughtful choices or follow trends
  • Helps you assess if you'll enjoy the work

What's your approach to technical debt?

  • Reveals if they care about code quality
  • Shows if they balance speed vs. quality
  • Indicates engineering maturity

Can you walk me through your development and deployment process?

  • Reveals workflow and tooling
  • Shows if they have modern practices (CI/CD, etc.)
  • Indicates engineering maturity

About the Team​

How large is the engineering team, and how is it structured?

  • Reveals team size and organization
  • Shows if you'll have peers at your level
  • Indicates collaboration structure

What does code review look like on the team?

  • Reveals quality standards
  • Shows collaboration culture
  • Indicates if learning/mentorship happens

How does the team handle on-call and production support?

  • Reveals work-life balance reality
  • Shows operational maturity
  • Indicates if you'll be woken up at 3am regularly

Questions About Growth and Development​

What opportunities are there for learning and professional development?

  • Shows you want to grow
  • Reveals if they invest in employees
  • Indicates company values

What does the career growth path look like for this role?

  • Shows long-term thinking
  • Reveals advancement opportunities
  • Indicates if people get promoted

Are there opportunities to work on different projects or areas?

  • Reveals flexibility
  • Shows if you can explore different technologies
  • Indicates if you'll be pigeonholed

Questions About Team and Culture​

How would you describe the team culture?

  • Reveals actual culture (not marketing speak)
  • Shows what daily work is like
  • Helps assess fit

What's the balance between independent work and collaboration?

  • Reveals working style
  • Shows if it matches your preferences
  • Indicates meeting load

How does the team communicate and coordinate?

  • Reveals tools and practices (Slack, Jira, etc.)
  • Shows meeting culture
  • Indicates remote work reality

The Most Important Question ➡️​

Never leave without asking:

"Where do we go from here?"​

or

"What are the next steps in the process?"​

This tells you:

  • How many more interview rounds
  • Timeline for decision
  • When you should follow up
  • If you should expect to hear back
Critical

Always ask about next steps. You need to know:

  • When they'll make a decision
  • If you should follow up
  • What the remaining process looks like

Optional: The Feedback Question​

Only ask this if the interview went well and you have good rapport:

"Have you seen anything in other candidates that you haven't yet seen in me that I could perhaps speak to?"​

This:

  • Shows confidence
  • Gives you a chance to address concerns
  • Demonstrates you want the role
  • Can turn around a mediocre interview

Warning: Only use this if you feel comfortable. If the interview didn't go well, skip it.

How Many Questions Should You Ask?​

Aim for 3-5 questions, depending on time available.

  • If you have 5 minutes: Ask 2-3 key questions
  • If you have 10-15 minutes: Ask 4-6 questions
  • If the conversation is flowing: Keep going naturally
Let It Be a Conversation

Don't rapid-fire questions. Let the conversation flow naturally. Their answers might lead to follow-up questions or discussion.

Questions to Avoid​

Don't Ask Things You Could Google​

❌ "What does your company do?" ❌ "How many employees do you have?" ❌ "What's your tech stack?" (if it's on their website/job description)

These show you didn't do basic research.

Don't Ask About Benefits Too Early​

❌ "How much vacation do I get?" ❌ "What are the benefits?" ❌ "Can I work remotely?"

Save these for later rounds or when you have an offer.

Don't Ask Negative Questions​

❌ "What's the worst thing about working here?" ❌ "Why do people leave?" ❌ "What don't you like about management?"

Even if you're curious, these sound negative.

Don't Ask About Salary (Yet)​

❌ "How much does this pay?"

Wait for them to bring it up, or discuss after you have an offer.

Sample Question Flow​

Here's how a good Q&A session might go:

You: "Thanks for all the information today. I have a few questions if that's okay?"

Interviewer: "Of course!"

You: "First, how has this position become available? Is it a new role or a backfill?"

[They answer]

You: "That makes sense. And what would you say are the biggest challenges facing the team right now?"

[They answer]

You: "Interesting. What does success look like for someone in this role in the first 90 days?"

[They answer]

You: "One more question - what do you personally enjoy most about working here?"

[They answer]

You: "That's great to hear. Finally, what are the next steps in the process?"

[They answer]

You: "Perfect, thank you so much for your time today. I really enjoyed our conversation!"

Prepare Your Questions in Advance​

Before each interview, write down:

  • 5-7 questions that are relevant to this specific company/role
  • 2-3 backup questions in case your main ones get answered during the interview
  • Questions specific to the person you're interviewing with

Keep them in a notebook or on your computer during virtual interviews. It's perfectly fine to refer to your notes!

Take Notes During the Interview

Write down their answers. This:

  • Shows you're engaged
  • Helps you remember details for follow-up
  • Provides material for your thank you email
  • Helps you evaluate the opportunity later

Question Checklist​

Before your interview, prepare questions in these categories:

  • ✅ 1-2 questions about the role
  • ✅ 1-2 questions about the team/culture
  • ✅ 1-2 questions about the company/industry
  • ✅ 1 personal question for the interviewer
  • ✅ 1 technical question (if appropriate)
  • ✅ Always ask: "What are the next steps?"

Remember: The interview is a two-way street. You're evaluating them just as much as they're evaluating you. Ask thoughtful questions and use their answers to decide if this is really where you want to work.