Questions to Ask the Interviewer: 30 Examples That Work

"Do you have any questions for us?" sounds like a polite way to wrap up, but it's a real question. Your answer tells the interviewer how much you've thought about the role, and it gets you information you won't find in the job posting. Below are 30 questions grouped by what you want to learn, with what each answer tells you, plus which ones to ask whom.

Why does "I don't have any questions" hurt you?

To the interviewer, a candidate with no questions isn't picturing themselves in the job. Even after a strong interview, "no, everything was clear" ends on the weakest note - and you miss your one chance to learn whether the place suits you.

If everything you planned to ask was genuinely covered, say so and ask about something that came up: "You mentioned the move to the new system - how will that affect this role in the first few months?" A question built on the conversation shows you were listening, which beats any prepared question.

How many questions should you ask, and when?

Two or three at the end, with five or six prepared so you have options. If time is short, one good question beats three rushed ones. You can also ask during the interview when a topic comes up naturally - just don't interrupt to do it. A good order: a question about the role or team first, and a question about next steps last, so you leave with something concrete.

What should you ask the interviewer? 30 questions by goal

The questions fall into five groups by what you want to find out. Each one comes with what the answer tells you - a question is only useful if you know what to listen for.

About the role and what success looks like

• "What does a typical week in this role look like, and what takes up most of the time?" - shows whether the posting matches the real job.
• "What's the first thing you'd want me to take ownership of?" - reveals what's urgent and what you'll be judged on early.
• "Is this a new position, or are you replacing someone?" - new roles signal growth; if someone left, notice whether the answer is open or evasive.
• "How is success measured in this role - are there defined goals or metrics?" - if there's no clear answer, your future reviews will be vague too.
• "Where do people in this role usually get stuck?" - surfaces the genuinely hard part and shows you're already thinking about the work.
• "What's missing on the team today that you'd like the next person to bring?" - uncovers the gap behind the opening and lets you connect your experience to it.

About the team and the manager

• "Who would I work with most closely day to day?" - shows how work really flows, which doesn't always match the org chart.
• "How does feedback work here - regular one-on-ones or as needed?" - tells you more about the management style than any self-description.
• "What happens on this team when something goes wrong?" - you'll hear whether they look for solutions or for someone to blame.
• "How long have people on the team been here?" - tenure suggests stability; high turnover is worth knowing before you decide.
• "Which other teams does this role work with, and where is there the most friction?" - reveals the dependencies that will shape your work, and signals experience.
• "What do you like most about working on this team?" - a quick, specific answer is a good sign. A long pause is an answer too.

About the company and its direction

• "What's the company's most important goal for the next year, and how does this role contribute?" - shows whether the role is central or on the sidelines.
• "What has changed at the company over the past year?" - opens a conversation about growth, restructuring or cuts without asking directly.
• "I read that you recently launched a new product - how has that affected the team?" - proves you did your research and gets an answer that isn't on the website.
• "What's the biggest challenge the company is facing right now?" - you'll hear the problem you'd be working on, not the press release.
• "What keeps people here long-term?" - the culture, in the words of the people living it.
• "If you could change one thing about the company tomorrow, what would it be?" - an unexpected question that tends to get an honest answer; best for senior leaders.

About growth and learning

• "What does the first month look like - is there onboarding or a mentor?" - tells you whether there's a process or you'll be thrown in the deep end.
• "Where have people who held this role before moved on to?" - shows whether there's a real path forward or a dead end.
• "How and when do performance reviews happen?" - you'll know when, and on what basis, you can ask for a promotion or a raise.
• "What skills would you want me to develop in my first year?" - reveals what they still need, and signals you plan to stay and grow.
• "Is there time or budget for learning - courses, conferences, certifications?" - separates companies that value learning from those that just say so.
• "Do people move between teams or roles internally?" - internal mobility is a sign the company invests in its people.

About the process and next steps

• "What are the remaining stages, and who will I meet in them?" - you'll know what to prepare for and with whom.
• "Is there anything in my background that gives you pause?" - a last chance to address a doubt before it becomes a no. Ask it when the conversation is going well.
• "What should I prepare for the next stage?" - shows you're serious, and sometimes gets you a precise hint about the test or assignment.
• "When are you hoping to fill the role?" - gives you a timeline, which matters most if you're in other processes.
• "Is there a take-home assignment or test later on? What does it focus on?" - avoids surprises and lets you plan your time.
• "What's the best way to stay in touch - email or phone?" - lets you follow up without being a nuisance.

Which questions should you ask whom?

The same question gets a great answer from one person and an empty one from another. Each interviewer sees a different part of the picture, so match your questions to what they actually know.

• Recruiter or HR: they see the process, not the daily work. Ask about stages, timeline, team structure and what the hiring manager wants - and, later on, about terms. Skip technical questions.
• Hiring manager: the person you'd work for, so ask your most important questions here - what you'd own first, where people get stuck, how feedback works. Notice whether they answer with detail or with slogans.
• CEO or founder at a small company: ask about direction - the key goal for the year, what has to happen to reach the next stage, what they'd change tomorrow. At a startup it's fair to ask politely about the plan for the next year or two.
• Technical or peer interviewer: usually a future colleague, and candid about the work. Ask how a task flows from ticket to customer and which tools they'd replace if they could. Not about pay or vacation.

What should you not ask in a first interview?

• "How much does it pay?" or "How many vacation days?" as your first question. Not forbidden, but it sounds like your main concern. If they ask your expectations, answer.
• Anything the website already answers, like "What does the company do?".
• "How did I do?" - it puts the interviewer on the spot. Ask whether anything in your background gives them pause.
• Personal questions about the interviewer, and yes-or-no questions like "Is the atmosphere good?" - the answer is always yes.
• "Can I work from home every day?" before you understand the role, or "How soon can I get promoted?" in the first meeting.

How and when do you raise salary, hybrid work and benefits?

Later in the process, with the recruiter or HR, or when they bring it up. Frame it as a question about how things work, not as a demand - you get the information without turning the conversation into a negotiation too early.

• Salary: if they ask your expectations, give a range you've researched. If it hasn't come up by the final stage: "Before we go further, I'd like to understand the salary range set for this role." For handling what comes next, see our guide to salary negotiation.
• Hybrid work: "How does this team split the week between the office and home in practice?" - a question about reality, not "how many days can I stay home".
• Hours: "What do working hours look like in practice, and are there especially busy periods?" - entirely fair, and the answer matters to you.
• Benefits: once you have an offer, ask for the full package in writing - pension and savings contributions, insurance, equity if any. That's when these questions are expected.

What should you ask at the end of a phone screen?

A phone screen is short, so two questions that help you prepare for the next stage are enough. Recruiters know a lot about what the team wants and are usually glad to share it if you ask. For more on how this stage works, see our guide to HR interviews.

• "What's the next step, and who will I be speaking with?"
• "What matters most to the hiring manager in a candidate for this role?" - this gets you the criterion that isn't in the posting.
• "Why is the role open now?"
• "Is there anything I should prepare for the next conversation?"

How do you prepare for this part of the interview?

Pick five or six questions from the list based on the stage and who you'll meet, and write them in a notebook or on your phone. Looking at your list at the end is completely fine - "I jotted down a few questions" sounds prepared, not lost. And remember that the interview usually opens with "tell me about yourself"; here's how to answer it, with eight sample answers. If you want to rehearse the whole interview, Custro has an AI mock interview that gives feedback on your answers (part of the Pro plan).