Questions to ask at the end of an interview

• Two or three at the end of each interview. Prepare five or six so you still have some left if earlier answers covered them.
• Ask follow-ups during the interview when something interesting comes up. Save the broader questions for the end.
• Different interviewers, different questions. If you meet four people in one day, ask each of them something that fits their role.
• Write them down and bring the list. Glancing at notes shows preparation, not weakness.

Questions that start with *how*, *what* or *tell me about* get better answers than yes-or-no questions.

Recruiters know the process, the timeline and the basics of the role. Use the screen to understand what happens next.

• What does the rest of the interview process look like, and who will I meet?
• What's the timeline for a decision?
• What made this role open: is it a new position or a replacement?
• What would make someone stand out for this role in the next interviews?
• How would you describe the team's working style: in office, hybrid or remote, and how are hours set?
• Is there anything in my background you'd like me to clarify for the hiring manager?

The last question is the most useful one in a screen. If the recruiter has a doubt (a gap, a missing skill), you get to answer it before it travels to the next round.

Your future manager decides what success looks like. These questions get at the real job behind the job description.

• What would you want me to have achieved in the first 90 days?
• What does success look like in this role after one year?
• What's the biggest challenge the team is facing right now?
• What separates the people who do well in this role from the people who struggle?
• How do you like to give feedback, and how often do you have one-on-ones?
• What are the most important projects this role would take on?
• How does this role work with other teams, and where do the handoffs get difficult?
• What do you enjoy most about managing this team?
• Is there anything about my experience that makes you hesitant? I'd like the chance to address it.

The 90-day and one-year questions are the strongest you can ask. The answer tells you what they really need, and you can use your next sentence to connect it to something you've already done.

Peers are usually the most candid about what the job is like day to day.

• What does a typical week look like for you?
• What do you like most about working here, and what would you change?
• How does the team decide what to work on?
• How do new people get up to speed? Who helped you when you started?
• What tools and processes does the team rely on most?
• When something goes wrong, what usually happens next?
• What's one thing you wish you'd known before you joined?

Leaders think about direction and priorities. Ask about the bigger picture, and show you've read about the company.

• Where do you see the company in the next two or three years, and how does this team fit into that?
• What's the most important thing the company needs to get right this year?
• I read that you're expanding into [new market or product]. How will that change this team's work?
• What do you look for when you think about people who grow here?
• What's something about the culture that people only understand once they join?

• What training or learning support do people in this role get?
• Where have people in this role moved on to, inside or outside the company?
• How is performance reviewed, and how often?
• How has the team changed in the last year?
• How does the company support people working across time zones (or from different offices)?

Remote or hybrid jobs

• How does the team stay in touch day to day: meetings, chat, written updates?
• Are there core hours when everyone is expected to be online?
• How do new remote hires get to know the team in their first weeks?

Startups and small companies

• How much runway does the company have, and what are the big goals for the next year?
• How are decisions made when priorities change quickly?
• What would this role own that someone else covers today?

Internships and first jobs

• What did past interns or new graduates in this role go on to do?
• Will I have a mentor or a regular check-in with someone on the team?
• What's a project a new person could own in their first few months?

Applying for your first role? Our internship resume example and high school student resume example show how to present school, clubs and part-time work.

Applying through LinkedIn? Our guide on adding your resume to LinkedIn covers which version employers actually see. Before any interview, read the job post again and match your stories to it: our guides to behavioral interview questions and tell me about yourself cover the questions you'll be asked first. Run your resume through the free ATS checker with the job description too; the keywords it finds are often the topics interviewers dig into.

• What are the next steps, and when can I expect to hear from you?
• Is there anything else I can share that would help your decision?
• Who would be the best person to follow up with if I have more questions?

After the interview, send a short note within a day; our thank-you email after an interview guide has examples you can adapt.

It happens, especially in long interviews. Don't say "No questions." Instead:

Or go back to something they said: "You mentioned the team is moving to a new CRM next quarter. How involved would this role be in that?" A question built on the conversation shows you were listening, which is better than any prepared list.

Salary is fine to discuss, usually with the recruiter or once there's an offer. Our guide on how to negotiate salary covers timing and wording.