Questions to ask at the end of an interview (and what to avoid)

Almost every interview ends with “Do you have any questions for us?” Saying “No” wastes a chance to show you are serious about the job. One or two thoughtful questions show interest, and the answers help you decide whether you actually want to work there.

Three questions that work in almost any interview

1. “What would success look like in this role in the first 90 days?” It shows you think about impact, and it tells you what they really expect.
2. “What's the biggest challenge the team is working on right now?” It gets them talking about real work, and it is often the most honest answer you will hear.
3. “What do you enjoy most about working here?” It ends the conversation on a warm, human note.

For a technical round

• “What does the tech stack look like, and is anything about to change?”
• “How does code get from a pull request to production here?”
• “How do you handle on-call and production issues?”
• “What does a typical week look like for an engineer on this team?”

For a hiring manager or HR round

• “How is performance reviewed, and how often?”
• “What do people who do well on this team have in common?”
• “What are the next steps, and when can I expect to hear back?”

Questions to avoid

• Anything you could find on their website in a minute, like what the company does.
• Salary, leave and perks in a technical round. Save them for HR or the offer stage.
• “Did I get the job?” Ask about next steps instead.
• Yes/no questions. Open questions start a conversation.

Tips

• Prepare three or four and ask one or two: some will be answered during the interview.
• Listen to the answer and ask one follow-up. That is where the real conversation happens.
• Write them down before the call so you don't blank at the end.