Questions to Ask in a Job Interview: What to Ask, What to Avoid and Why
The best questions to ask in a job interview show that you have thought about the role in practice, help you judge whether the job is right for you and give the interviewer a reason to remember you. Saying “No, I think you’ve covered everything” is the one answer that almost always counts against a candidate. This guide sets out the questions worth asking at each stage, the ones to avoid, and how to fit them into the last ten minutes of a conversation.
Why Do Interviewers Ask “Do You Have Any Questions for Us?”
The question is not a courtesy. Hiring managers use it to test three things: whether you have researched the organisation, whether you understand what the job involves day to day, and whether you are choosing them as carefully as they are choosing you. The US Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop service advises candidates to prepare questions in advance for exactly this reason, alongside researching the employer and practising answers to common questions.
It is also your best chance to collect information you cannot find online: how success is measured, how the team really works and why the post is open. People change jobs often enough that this matters. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that the median American worker had been with their current employer for 4.1 years in January 2026, and just 3.0 years among workers aged 25 to 34. One in five workers had been in their job for a year or less. A bad fit is expensive for both sides.
What Are the Best Questions to Ask About the Role?
Start with the job itself. These questions help you understand expectations and show that you are already thinking about delivering results:
- “What would success look like in the first 90 days, and after a year?” This is perhaps the single most useful question, because it reveals the priorities and whether they are realistic.
- “What does a typical week look like in this role?” Job adverts are often aspirational; the answer tells you how time is actually spent.
- “What is the biggest challenge facing the person who takes this job?”
- “Why is this position open?” A new post suggests growth; a fast turnover of previous holders is worth probing politely.
- “Which skills or experience would make someone outstanding here, rather than just competent?”
- “How will my performance be measured, and how often is it reviewed?”
What Should You Ask About the Team and Manager?
Your future manager shapes your working life more than almost any other factor. Ask questions that let you picture working with them:
- “How would you describe your management style?”
- “How does the team communicate and make decisions? Is it mostly meetings, chat or written documents?”
- “Who would I work with most closely, and what are they like to work with?”
- “How do you give feedback?”
- “What do you enjoy most about working here?” Interviewers who struggle to answer this one are telling you something.
If the job is remote or hybrid, ask how many days are expected in the office, whether that has changed recently and how remote staff are included in decisions. Our guide to finding legitimate remote jobs covers the warning signs that a remote offer is not genuine.
Which Questions Show You Understand the Business?
Questions about strategy show commercial awareness, which matters more as you become more senior. Base them on genuine research: the company’s annual report, recent press releases, its leadership’s interviews and any news coverage. For example:
- “I saw that you launched this year. How has that changed this team’s priorities?”
- “What are the company’s main goals for the next year, and how does this role contribute to them?”
- “Who do you see as your strongest competitor, and what sets you apart?”
- “How has the business been affected by [a relevant trend, such as AI tools or new regulation]?”
Be careful with sensitive subjects. If a company has recently announced job cuts, as several large employers have this autumn, including Microsoft’s voluntary buyout offer and Comcast’s layoffs in Philadelphia, it is reasonable to ask “How is the team planning for the year ahead?” rather than asking directly whether more cuts are coming.
What Should You Ask About Growth and Training?
Employers want people who will develop, and you want a job that leads somewhere. Useful questions include:
- “What training or professional development is available, and how is it funded?”
- “Where have people who did this job well gone next?”
- “Are there opportunities to take on stretch projects or work across departments?”
- “How are promotions decided?”
These answers will also help you later. If you join and want to ask for a raise, knowing how pay and promotions are decided gives you a head start.
What Are the Best Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview?
Two closing questions are particularly effective, because they invite the interviewer to raise any doubts while you are still in the room to answer them:
- “Is there anything about my background that makes you hesitant, which I could clarify?” It takes some nerve, but it gives you a chance to correct a misunderstanding.
- “What are the next steps, and when should I expect to hear from you?” This sets a timeline, so you know when it is reasonable to follow up.
Is It OK to Ask About Salary in a First Interview?
Yes, if you do it carefully, and in many places the information is already public. A growing number of US states and cities, including California, Colorado, Illinois, New York, Washington and Massachusetts, now require employers to include a pay range in job adverts. Canada’s British Columbia and several European countries have similar rules. If a range is published, you can simply confirm it: “The advert gives a range of $70,000 to $85,000. Is that still accurate, and where in the range do you see this role?”
If no range is published, it is reasonable to ask “What is the salary range budgeted for this role?” once the employer has shown interest, usually towards the end of a first interview or during a recruiter screen. Avoid making pay and holiday your first questions, and research market rates in advance, so you know whether the range is fair.
Which Questions Should You Avoid?
Some questions do more harm than good:
- Anything easily answered on the company’s website. It suggests that you have not prepared.
- “What does your company do?”
- “How soon can I take time off?” or “Can I work from home whenever I want?” in a first interview, unless flexibility is central to the advert
- Gossip or rumours about leaders or competitors
- Yes-or-no questions that end the conversation
- “Did I get the job?” It puts the interviewer in an awkward position.
Remember that some questions should not be asked of you, either. In the US, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission explains that employers should not make hiring decisions based on characteristics such as race, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age (40 or over), disability or genetic information. If you are asked about these, you can steer the conversation back to your ability to do the job.
How Many Questions Should You Ask, and How?
Prepare five to eight questions, expecting to use two to four. Some will be answered during the interview, and repeating them shows that you were not listening. Practical tips:
- Write them down. Taking a notebook with your questions is professional, not a sign of weakness.
- Tailor them to each interviewer. Ask a recruiter about the process, a manager about expectations and a potential colleague about daily work.
- Listen and follow up. “You mentioned the team is growing. How many people are you planning to hire?” shows engagement.
- Keep an eye on time. If the interview overruns, ask your single most important question and offer to send any others by email.
Afterwards, send a short thank-you email within a day, mentioning something specific from the conversation. If you are still polishing your application documents, our explainer on the difference between a CV and a résumé covers which to use for US, UK and international roles.
Quick Checklist: Questions to Ask in a Job Interview
- What does success look like after 90 days and after a year?
- What is the biggest challenge in this role?
- How would you describe your management style?
- How does the team work together?
- How does this role support the company’s goals this year?
- What development opportunities are there?
- Is there anything that makes you hesitant about my application?
- What are the next steps?
Featured image: Woman on a Job Interview – 38826218972, by amtec_photos / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped, colour-graded and combined with MediaPavilion branding.
Sources
- CareerOneStop, US Department of Labor — Interview tips (accessed 1 November 2026).
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics — Employee Tenure in 2026 (24 September 2026).
- US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — Prohibited Employment Policies/Practices (accessed 1 November 2026).
- US Department of Labor, Women's Bureau — Pay transparency and salary history bans (accessed 1 November 2026).
