Questions to ask an interviewer

When an interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?”, the interview is not over. It is your opportunity to learn whether the job is actually right for you.

Questions to Ask an Interviewer: 35 Smart Questions to Ask Before You Accept a Job

When an interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for me?”, the interview is not over. It is your opportunity to learn whether the job is actually right for you.

Many candidates make the mistake of saying, “No, I think you've answered everything.” That can be a missed opportunity.

Strong questions to ask an interviewer can help you understand the position, manager, team, company culture, expectations, career growth, and what success looks like. They can also demonstrate that you researched the company and are genuinely interested in the opportunity.

The best interview questions are not designed simply to impress the interviewer. They should help you evaluate the employer just as much as the employer is evaluating you.

This guide covers the best questions to ask during a job interview, including questions for hiring managers, recruiters, executives, remote jobs, second interviews, and final interviews.

If you want additional help preparing for interviews, LiaHia provides interview preparation, career coaching, resume optimization, LinkedIn optimization, and reverse recruiting services for job seekers.

Why Should You Ask Questions During an Interview?

An interview should be a two-way conversation.

The employer wants to determine whether you have the skills and experience to perform the job. You should also determine whether the company, manager, compensation, responsibilities, and career opportunity meet your expectations.

Good questions can help you discover:

Asking thoughtful questions can also make the conversation more memorable.

How Many Questions Should You Ask an Interviewer?

You do not need to ask all 35 questions in this guide.

Choose approximately 3 to 7 strong questions based on the interview stage and how much information has already been discussed.

Quality matters more than quantity.

If the interviewer already explained something during the conversation, do not ask the same question again simply because it appears on your list.

Best Questions to Ask an Interviewer

1. What would success look like in this position during the first 90 days?

This is one of the strongest questions you can ask because it focuses the conversation on results.

It helps you understand what the company expects from someone who takes the position.

2. What are the most important priorities for this role right now?

This question can reveal what the employer actually needs from the person they hire.

It may also allow you to connect your experience directly to those priorities.

3. How will my performance be measured?

Understanding performance expectations before accepting a position can prevent surprises later.

Listen for specific metrics, goals, KPIs, revenue targets, project deadlines, customer outcomes, or other measurable expectations.

4. What are the biggest challenges facing someone in this role?

This question can reveal problems that may not be obvious from the job description.

It also gives you an opportunity to explain how you have solved similar problems in the past.

5. Why is this position open?

The answer can provide valuable context.

The position might be newly created because of company growth, or someone may have left the role. Those situations can create very different working environments.

6. What does a typical day or week look like?

Job descriptions rarely explain how employees actually spend their time.

This question helps you understand the day-to-day responsibilities.

7. What are the biggest priorities for the team over the next six months?

This can help you understand the broader direction of the department and how your role fits into it.

Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager

If you are interviewing directly with the hiring manager, use the opportunity to understand their management style and expectations.

8. How would you describe your management style?

Managers have different approaches to communication, feedback, autonomy, and decision-making.

The answer can help you determine whether the manager's style fits how you work best.

9. How do you typically provide feedback?

Feedback is an important part of professional development.

Listen for whether the manager provides structured feedback, regular one-on-ones, performance reviews, informal coaching, or other methods.

10. How often would we have one-on-one meetings?

This gives you insight into communication expectations and management practices.

11. What do your strongest employees do differently?

This is an excellent question because it reveals what the manager values.

The answer may highlight characteristics such as initiative, communication, ownership, technical expertise, sales performance, or collaboration.

12. What is the biggest mistake someone could make in this role?

This can reveal potential risks and expectations that are not obvious from the job posting.

13. What would make you say six months from now that you made the right hiring decision?

This is a powerful performance-oriented question.

It encourages the hiring manager to describe the outcomes they want from the person they hire.

Questions to Ask About the Team

14. Can you tell me about the team I would be working with?

Ask about team size, responsibilities, experience levels, and how different functions work together.

15. How does the team collaborate?

This is especially important for remote and hybrid positions.

Ask about meetings, communication platforms, documentation, project management, and decision-making.

16. What departments would I work with most frequently?

Cross-functional collaboration can have a major impact on your daily work.

17. What is the team's biggest challenge right now?

This can reveal organizational problems, workload issues, resource constraints, or opportunities for improvement.

18. How would you describe the team's culture?

Rather than relying only on the employer's official description of company culture, ask how employees actually work together.

Questions About Company Culture

19. How would you describe the company culture in practice?

The phrase “in practice” is important.

Many companies describe themselves using broad terms such as collaborative, innovative, fast-paced, or employee-focused. You want to understand what those words mean in everyday work.

20. How does the company support employee development?

Ask whether employees receive training, mentoring, coaching, professional development budgets, certifications, or opportunities to take on new responsibilities.

21. How does the company recognize strong performance?

This can reveal how the organization rewards employees who consistently deliver results.

22. What do employees tend to enjoy most about working here?

This invites the interviewer to share something positive while providing insight into the employee experience.

23. What is one thing you would change about the company?

This can be a more revealing question.

A thoughtful interviewer may openly discuss an area the organization is working to improve.

Questions About Career Growth

24. What opportunities are available for career advancement?

If career growth matters to you, ask directly.

Find out whether advancement typically comes through promotions, expanded responsibilities, leadership opportunities, or movement into other departments.

25. Where have people in this position progressed after succeeding in the role?

This is more specific than simply asking whether promotions are available.

It can show you what an actual career path looks like.

26. What skills would you expect someone in this position to develop?

A good job should ideally help you build skills that increase your professional value.

27. How are employees considered for promotions?

Ask what criteria are used and whether promotion decisions are based on performance, tenure, business needs, leadership ability, or other factors.

Questions About the Company

28. What are the company's biggest priorities this year?

This question helps you understand the organization's strategic direction.

29. What are the company's biggest opportunities for growth?

This is especially useful when interviewing for sales, marketing, operations, technology, or leadership positions.

30. How does this role contribute to the company's larger goals?

This demonstrates that you are thinking beyond the job description.

31. What changes do you expect in this department over the next year?

This can reveal potential expansion, restructuring, new technology, or changing responsibilities.

Questions to Ask About Remote Jobs

If you are interviewing for a remote position, ask questions that clarify how remote work operates in reality.

32. How does the team communicate when working remotely?

Ask about tools such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, email, and project management platforms.

33. How often are remote employees expected to attend meetings?

This can help you understand whether the position is genuinely flexible or meeting-heavy.

34. What are the expectations around working hours?

Remote work does not always mean flexible work hours.

Some companies require employees to work specific schedules or maintain significant overlap with particular time zones.

35. How do you measure productivity for remote employees?

This question can reveal whether the company focuses on outcomes, hours, activity levels, meetings, or other measurements.

Questions to Ask a Recruiter

Recruiters can provide useful information about the hiring process and position.

Consider asking:

Recruiters may not know every detail about the day-to-day work, so save highly specific team and role questions for the hiring manager when appropriate.

Questions About Salary and Compensation

Compensation is an important part of evaluating a job.

Depending on the stage of the process, you may ask:

You do not need to avoid compensation discussions entirely. However, timing matters.

Early conversations with recruiters may be the appropriate place to establish whether the compensation range is aligned with your expectations.

Questions to Ask in a Second Interview

Second interviews are an opportunity to go deeper.

You may already understand the basic responsibilities, so ask questions about execution, expectations, team dynamics, and business challenges.

Examples include:

Questions to Ask in a Final Interview

By the final interview, you should be evaluating whether the opportunity is right for you while continuing to demonstrate your interest.

Consider asking:

The Powerful Question: “Do You Have Any Concerns About My Background?”

This can be an uncomfortable question, but it can also be extremely useful.

Near the end of an interview, you can ask:

“Based on our conversation, is there anything about my experience or qualifications that you would like me to clarify?”

This gives the interviewer an opportunity to raise concerns while you still have the opportunity to address them.

If they mention a concern, respond with relevant evidence from your experience.

Questions You Should Avoid Asking Too Early

Not every question is appropriate for every stage of an interview.

For example, asking immediately about vacation time, leaving early, or how little work you can do may create the wrong impression.

Questions about compensation and benefits are legitimate, but the recruiter or hiring process may be the better place to discuss detailed compensation rather than the first few minutes of an interview with a hiring manager.

The key is context.

Don't Ask Questions You Could Easily Research

Before your interview, research the company.

Review its website, products, services, leadership, recent announcements, and job description.

Companies such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and other professional resources can also help you research employers and understand how candidates and employees describe organizations.

Asking a question that is answered clearly on the company's homepage may suggest that you did not prepare.

Instead, ask questions that build on your research.

How to Make Your Interview Questions More Impressive

You do not need complicated questions.

The strongest questions are often specific and connected to the conversation.

For example, instead of:

“What is the company culture like?”

Try:

“I noticed the company has been expanding its remote workforce. How has that changed the way teams collaborate?”

This demonstrates that you researched the organization and are thinking critically about the position.

Turn the Interview Into a Conversation

Do not treat your questions as a checklist.

Listen carefully to the interviewer's answers and ask follow-up questions.

For example:

You: “What is the biggest challenge for the team right now?”

Interviewer: “We are expanding into a new market.”

You: “That's interesting. What would you want the person in this role to accomplish to help with that expansion?”

The second question demonstrates curiosity and connects directly to the company's business priorities.

Best 10 Questions to Ask an Interviewer

If you only have time for a few questions, start with these:

  1. What would success look like in the first 90 days?
  2. What are the biggest priorities for this role right now?
  3. How will my performance be measured?
  4. What are the biggest challenges facing the team?
  5. Why is this position open?
  6. How would you describe your management style?
  7. What do your strongest employees do differently?
  8. What opportunities are available for career growth?
  9. How does this role contribute to the company's larger goals?
  10. What are the next steps in the hiring process?

How LiaHia Can Help You Prepare for Interviews

Knowing what questions to ask is only one part of successful interview preparation.

You also need to be prepared to explain your experience, communicate your accomplishments, answer behavioral questions, discuss weaknesses, handle difficult questions, and demonstrate why you are the right candidate.

LiaHia provides career services designed to help job seekers become more competitive throughout the hiring process.

Services include:

The objective is not simply to get through an interview.

The objective is to enter the interview prepared to have a meaningful conversation about the value you can bring to the organization.

Frequently Asked Questions About Questions to Ask an Interviewer

What are the best questions to ask an interviewer?

Strong questions focus on success, expectations, team dynamics, challenges, management style, company priorities, career growth, and the next steps in the hiring process.

How many questions should I ask in an interview?

Three to seven thoughtful questions is generally a good range, depending on how much time remains and how much information has already been covered.

What should I ask at the end of an interview?

Ask about the position's priorities, success metrics, challenges, team, career growth, and next steps. A particularly useful question is, “What would success look like in the first 90 days?”

Should I ask about salary during an interview?

Yes. Compensation is an important part of evaluating a job. The appropriate timing depends on the employer and stage of the hiring process, with recruiters often being a natural point of contact for compensation ranges.

What questions should I ask a hiring manager?

Ask about expectations, management style, performance measurement, team challenges, priorities, decision-making, and what separates high performers from average performers.

What questions should I ask a recruiter?

Ask about the hiring process, timeline, compensation range, benefits, interview stages, position structure, location expectations, and next steps.

What questions should I avoid asking?

Avoid questions that show you did not research the company or questions that are inappropriate for the stage of the interview. Questions about compensation, benefits, vacation, and flexibility are legitimate but should be discussed at an appropriate point in the process.

Can asking questions help me get the job?

Thoughtful questions can demonstrate preparation, curiosity, business awareness, and genuine interest. They are only one part of the interview, however. Your qualifications, experience, communication, and overall performance still matter.

Final Thoughts

The best questions to ask an interviewer accomplish two things.

They help the employer see that you are thoughtful and prepared, while also helping you determine whether the company is actually a good fit for your career.

Do not try to ask every question on a list.

Choose the questions that matter most to you and adapt them to the conversation.

Before your interview, research the company, understand the job description, identify the skills the employer needs, and prepare several questions that connect directly to the role.

Then listen.

The interviewer's answers may reveal as much about the opportunity as the questions themselves.

A great interview is not simply about convincing a company to hire you. It is also about determining whether you want to work there.

If you want help preparing for your next interview, LiaHia can help with interview preparation, career coaching, resume optimization, LinkedIn optimization, and reverse recruiting.