Questions to ask in an interview: learn what the job is really like, and show you are already thinking about it.
The questions you ask near the end of an interview do two jobs at once. They get you information you cannot find anywhere else, and they show the interviewer how you think about the work. A good question is specific to this role and could only be asked by someone who listened.
Ask two or three questions about the work itself: what the first months in the role involve, how success will be judged, what the team is working on and what makes the job hard. Add one question about next steps. Skip anything you could have read on the website, and leave pay, benefits and time off for the offer stage unless the interviewer raises them.
Four things worth finding out
- The work in practice. What a normal week looks like, which tasks take the most time, and what the person in the role will own from the start. The posting describes the job on paper; this is your chance to hear how it runs.
- How success is judged. What a good first quarter or first year would look like, how performance is reviewed, and what the last person in the role did well. The answer tells you what to prioritise if you get the job.
- The team and the manager. Who you would work with most, how the team communicates and makes decisions, and how the manager likes to give feedback. You are deciding whether you want to work here, too.
- Next steps. What happens after this conversation and when you can expect to hear. Knowing the timeline saves you from guessing and makes a later follow-up easier to time.
Making your questions land
- Prepare five, ask two or three. Some will be answered during the conversation. Having spares means you never have to say “No, I think you covered everything.”
- Link a question to something you heard. “You mentioned the team is rebuilding its reporting. What would you want the new person to take on first?” shows you were listening.
- Ask each interviewer something different. In a day of several conversations, tailor questions to each person: a peer can tell you about daily work, a senior leader about direction.
- Listen to the answer. Follow up once if something is unclear. A short exchange is more useful than a list of questions fired one after another.
- Write the answers down afterwards. They help you decide about an offer and give you material for your thank-you note.
Questions to ask, and what each one tells you
| Question | What you learn | Best asked to |
|---|---|---|
| What would you want the person in this role to achieve in the first few months? | The real priorities, beyond the job description. | The hiring manager |
| What makes someone successful on this team? | The habits and skills the team values. | The hiring manager or a peer |
| What is the hardest part of this job? | The challenges you would face, said plainly. | A peer or the manager |
| How does the team decide what to work on? | How priorities are set and how much say you would have. | The manager or a senior leader |
| How do you like to give feedback? | What working for this manager would feel like. | The hiring manager |
| What are the next steps in the process? | The timeline, so you know when to follow up. | Anyone, at the end |
Illustrative answers to adapt
Illustrative: these answers were written by TryHired to show structure. They are not real candidates' answers and were not given in any real interview. Every name, employer, number and result is fictional or a bracketed placeholder: replace each bracket with your own true details, and never claim an achievement you did not have.
Question builder
When to use: Turn something said in the interview into a question of your own.
You mentioned [something the interviewer said about the team or the work]. How would the person in this role be involved in that, and what would a good result look like by [a point in time]?
“Do you have any questions for us?” (weak)
What it shows: What a missed opportunity sounds like.
No, I think you've covered everything really well. I don't have any questions right now, thanks for your time.
“Do you have any questions for us?” (stronger)
What it shows: Specific, tied to the conversation, and about the work.
Yes, two. You said the team is [a change or project they described]. What would you want someone in this role to take on first there? And looking at the first few months, how will you know the new person is settling in well?
Closing question
When to use: A polite way to ask about the timeline at the end.
Thank you, that was really helpful. Could you tell me what the next steps are and when I might hear back? I'm very interested in [the part of the role that appeals to you].
Why the stronger answer works: Saying you have no questions can read as low interest, even when the conversation was thorough. The stronger answer builds on what the interviewer said, asks about the work rather than perks, and invites an answer that helps the candidate decide too. Every answer here is illustrative; adapt it to your own interview.
Disclosure: TryHired makes HIRED, a paid job-search program, so we have a conflict of interest when we mention it. Every sample on this page is free to use without buying anything.
General practice: questions you might ask, by person
General practice questions, not a prediction of what any employer will ask.
| Practice question | What it explores |
|---|---|
| What does a typical week look like for this role? | A peer or the manager |
| What would you want me to learn first? | The hiring manager |
| How has this role changed recently? | The hiring manager |
| What do you enjoy most about working here? | Anyone you meet |
| What is the team focused on this year? | A senior leader |
| How do people on the team support each other? | A peer |
| Is there anything in my background you would like me to say more about? | The final interviewer |
| What are the next steps? | Anyone, at the end |
Mistakes to avoid
- Saying you have no questions.
- Asking something the website answers in one line.
- Opening with pay, holidays or remote days before the role is discussed.
- Asking a long, multi-part question that is hard to answer.
- Reading questions from your phone without looking up.
- Asking the same question to every interviewer in a series.
Prepare with your own facts
Questions people ask
How many questions should I ask in an interview?
What should I not ask in an interview?
Is it ok to ask about salary in an interview?
What is a good question to ask at the end of an interview?
Can I ask questions during the interview, not just at the end?
How this page is built
Written by Maid Dizdarevic, a career coach and 8x LinkedIn Top Voice. Advice is labelled as advice. Every sample answer was written by TryHired to show structure: none is a real candidate's answer, and every employer, number and result is a bracketed placeholder for your own true details. Question lists are general practice, not a prediction of what any employer will ask.
- What a specific employer will ask: no one can know that in advance, so read the posting and prepare your own evidence.
- Your results: we never invent numbers, and you should never claim a result you did not achieve.
- Outcomes: no guide, answer or program can promise an interview or a job offer.
- TryHired editorial guidance by Maid Dizdarevic, career coach, Nov 4, 2026.