Questions to ask at the end of an interview, and ones to skip.

Saying “No, I think you covered everything” can make you sound less interested than you are. A good question shows you’ve been listening and helps you decide if you want the job.

Have three to five questions written down. Some will get answered during the interview, so you need spares. Ask two or three.

About the job itself

• “What does a typical day or week look like in this role?”
• “What would a great first three months look like?”
• “What’s the biggest challenge someone in this role will face?”
• “Is this a new role, or am I replacing someone?”

About what success looks like

• “How will you measure success in this role?”
• “What separates someone who’s good at this job from someone who’s great?”
• “What do the people who do best on this team have in common?”

About the team and the manager

• “Who would I work with most closely?”
• “How does the team usually communicate, and how often would I meet with my manager?”
• “How would you describe the team’s way of working?”

About growth

• “What kind of training is there for new people?”
• “Where have people in this role gone next?”
• “Are there chances to learn new skills or take on more over time?”

About next steps

• “What are the next steps in the hiring process?”
• “When do you expect to make a decision?”
• “Is there anything about my background you’d like me to explain more?”

The last one takes a little nerve, but it gives you a chance to clear up a doubt before you leave the room.

Questions to avoid in a first interview

• Anything you could find on their website, like “So, what does your company do?”
• Vacation and time off first. Fine to ask once there’s an offer, but leading with it sends the wrong message.
• “Did I get the job?” It puts the interviewer on the spot. Ask about next steps instead.
• Yes or no questions. Open questions get better answers and better conversation.

A note on pay

Many job postings now list a pay range. If yours does, you can simply confirm it: “The posting mentions a range of 50 to 55 thousand. Is that still right?” If there’s no range, it’s fine to ask, especially in a second interview or if the interviewer raises pay first. Look up typical pay for the role before you go, so you know what a fair number looks like.

Write them down

It’s normal to bring a notebook with your questions. It shows you prepared. Take a few notes on the answers too, since they’ll help you write your thank you email.