45 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

It shows me they're doing their part to ensure we’re the right employer for them. After all, we want to choose someone who thinks we’re fun, innovative, environmentally friendly, or dog-friendly—and that our values match theirs. 

And the only way for us to discover that is a two-way conversation. When you ask the right job interview questions, you're giving your potential employer proof that you're the candidate they need.

Conversely, your hiring manager or interviewer should also be equipped to answer your questions.

Table of Contents

Questions to Ask About the Job Position 

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

This is a great opportunity to picture what your day-to-day will be like especially because job descriptions can mention a wide variety of tasks but they aren't always clear which of those tasks you'll spend the majority of your time on.

For example, what if you learn the majority of your time will be spent doing admin work vs. strategy. Or maybe you learn that you will only get the chance to work with a certain department that you're excited about a few times a year. 

And if the interviewer gives you the old "every day is different so it's hard to paint a picture" answer, then you can dig a little deeper ask them to go backward. Try asking them to use last month or week as an example to share what it was like. Or you can point-blank ask the interviewer what were the top 3 priorities last month for this role.

If they still can't answer, watch out. You might be interviewing for a job that never really has clear expectations and is always moving the finish line.

2. Why is this position available? How long was the previous person in this role?

With this question, you’ll learn whether the position is a new one or if you’re replacing someone else. A new position is a sign of growth and may spur other interesting lines of discussion.

If you’re replacing someone, that conversation may give you hints about what will be required. If they say, “Sharon couldn’t work the hours we asked,” that could be a red flag if you’re a mom of two and don't want to work much overtime.

3. What are the skills needed to master this job?

This question tells me the candidate is truly interested in seeing whether she has what it takes to do the job instead of simply bluffing her way through, should she not have the requisite skills.

When I reply, she has a chance to show why her skills align with the position (making connections that may not be evident on the resume). And if she’s honest about lacking a certain skill, I like that integrity and have a chance to weigh that into my decision.

4. What are the biggest challenges you think this role will face?

Job descriptions never include the challenges you might face.

That's why you have to ask this question. Is there a lack of resources? Is there some messy communication happening with the other teams? Or maybe you'll be working with a person who is notorious for being difficult and manipulative. 

This is your opportunity to learn more and talk about the times you've hit challenges in past jobs—and what you did to overcome them if it naturally fits into the conversation. 

5. What projects will this role work on? Do you have any examples you can share? 

The more you can get real examples of projects you'll work on, the better you'll know if this role is the right fit.

And going back to the job description, you might think you'll be in charge of community-facing projects but then learn that what they really need in this role is a project manager to the person handling community initiatives. What you read on paper vs. what projects actually need help right now are things you can learn in a job interview only.

6. What type of budget and/or resources will this job have access to? 

One of the most annoying parts of a job is learning that you're in charge of doing ALL the things without any support. How can you expect to be successful or not totally burnt out if the expectations aren't met with the same support? And if the job doesn't come with any support but it does come with unreasonable expectations, that's a major red flag.

7. What’s the most important part of this role?

It’s similar to the third question about skills but goes a little deeper into unquantifiable areas.

It gives me a chance to say, for instance, “This position supports the sales staff, so a sense of humor in the midst of deadlines is a good thing.”

8. What are the prospects for growth in this job?

Someone who asks this is interested in furthering her career with us (vs. job-hopping) and that’s someone I want on my team.

It’s likely she will work hard in any situation or project she finds herself in as she moves up the ladder. When you ask this question, the response will let you know if this is an employer who is accustomed to helping employees further their career goals.

Questions About Job Success + Performance

9. How will success be measured in this role?

How will you know if you're doing your job well if nothing is defined?!

That's why this is an important question for both the interviewer and interviewee. Asking the interviewer exactly what you'll need to do in order to be successful in the role lets you know what are the most important responsibilities of the job, too.

And just because the job description mentioned a few things about success, you can't assume that's also what is most important to the hiring manager. Job descriptions are often recycled year after year by HR so be sure to get the hiring manager exactly how they will measure success, how often they will give you feedback, and the informal and formal ways they review your performance.

10. What do you hope to have this role accomplish in the first 6-months and first year?

During your interview, you might cover lots of topics but at the end of the day do you really know what the hiring manager wants to see you accomplish first?

That's why this question matters. Can the interviewer articulate what they want you to work on first and the results they hope to see? The answer to this question will help you focus your first few months on what really matters.

11. Do you expect the main responsibilities for this role to change in the next year?

Have you ever taken a job only to watch the role completely change? It happens more often than it should. Perhaps this role will need to pivot quite often, but it would be better to learn that information during the interview vs. six months into the job.

Questions About Professional Development + Training

12. How will I be trained?

Is this the type of work environment where you'll get formal training or is it more like sink-or-swim where only a few figure it out? Consider what works best for you, too.

The interviewer might share what training they have provided in the past and then ask you what else you would want. It will be helpful for you to know how little or how much training you want. Perhaps you just want to know who to reach out to and how when you have questions vs. a formal training environment. 

13. Will there be opportunities for professional development covered by the company?

A natural part of almost every job today is the need to learn new skills. Maybe that's online courses, attending industry conferences, or joining a company resource group that hosts in-person workshops. However you choose to learn, it's understandable that you'll want to know how much support the company provides. 

Some companies will provide reimbursement for online learning but you have to carve out the time yourself. Some companies will pay for your tuition and let you take time off work to attend classes. Get to know what your options are and show that you're a lifelong learner in the process.

14. What about career advancement? Where have other people in this role progressed to?

You have to ask this question very carefully because it can sound very self-serving and like you're only interested in this role to move to the next thing.

Instead, let this question reflect your interest in the company and desire to grow within the company vs. snapping up promotions wherever you can find them.

Questions About the Company

15. What do you enjoy most about working here?

This gives you a chance to direct the conversation to the interviewer (something most humans enjoy) and shows your interest in her opinions and in the company culture.

16. What's the company culture like?

Remember that almost all hiring managers will paint the best picture of their culture, but that doesn't mean you should ask the question. Maybe they will really emphasize that it's a start-up culture, which often translates to long hours and frequent changes. 

Or maybe they will go on and on about their focus on employee wellbeing. These clues tell you what the interviewer thinks of first when they consider the culture.

17. What type of people or personalities really thrive here?

Is this a company that loves extroverts who put in a lot of facetime at the office? Or do they embrace a remote culture and have actual policies in place that don't rely on you to be the loudest in the room to be successful?

Another great thing about this question is that it can create important follow-up questions. Maybe you'll learn that full-time parents have a harder time in this environment and as a new mom that's a major red flag for you.

18. What's the work environment like? What about the work hours?

Covid really changed our typical work environments and many companies have moved to hybrid work days and hours. Learn more about what the company expects. If they are working back to being in the office full-time and that's a deal-breaker for you, better to know now!

19. Are there any specific team events or team traditions you do?

This is a fun way to learn how close the team is and how often they do things unrelated to work.

For example, do they have a team lunch every Friday? Is there a team book club? Or maybe they don't really do anything, and that is perfectly OK with you!

20. Does the team have a mission statement or specific values?

Before you ask this question, make sure it's not something already included on the website or job description. Next, compare the team's values to yours. Is this a match?

21. What's different about working here vs. your last job?

A more unique way to learn about the company is to ask the interviewer to compare it to the last place they worked.

22. Can you tell me the company's plans for growth and/or new products?

If you're planning on growing with a company and its goals, you might want to know what they have planned.

23. Where do you see the company in the next 5 years?

This question is similar to the above but gives the interviewer a longer runway to answer. Maybe the company hopes to go public. Or maybe they are planning on a major shift from focusing on kids to focusing on parents with their products.

Or maybe you learn that the interviewer isn't sure but trusts the leadership team anyways. There is no right or wrong answer—just additional information for you to either get excited about or rule out this job opportunity.

24. Can I have a quick tour of the office?

When I hear this question, I know the candidate is giving the position serious consideration and wants to see if the culture and workspace feel comfortable to her.

If you ask the question and the employer says “no,” it may indicate:

Questions About the Team

25. Who will I be working closely with? What about other departments?

Who you work with most of the time will probably determine how long you stay in the role—and how much you like it. Plus, if it's important for you to work with a specific department then you'll get an idea of how often that might actually happen.

26. Who will I report to?

A natural question to ask to better understand who has influence over your role and career at the company.

27. Can you tell me more about the team dynamic?

Let the interviewer articulate what they think the team dynamics are. You might learn that there is little team communication.

Or you might learn that the team is broken up into smaller teams to work on projects. Consider how you like to work with others when you ask this question.

28. What are the methods and expectations of communication between team members?

Most workplace problems start with bad communication. Has this hiring manager given team communication some thought? Is there a clear line of who to communicate with and how when there is a problem? Or are you expected to answer emails 24/7?

29. What other roles will the team be hiring for this year?

It's good to have an idea of where else the team is hiring so you can learn how your role will fit into the overall organization chart.

30. When people leave the team, what's the typical career path?

Does this team have high turnover or do most people leave to go work on other internal teams? Or maybe you'll learn that there is very little turnover and the top person has been in their role for 20 years—with no plans of leaving soon.

Pandemic Interview Questions to Ask

31. What was quarantine like for you and the team?

Maybe the team quickly came together and moved to a 4-day workweek. Or maybe they've changed their Zoom policy to cameras off. In a time of extreme change and uncertainty, what was it like to work for this company and team? How did this potential coworker cope?

32. How did you adjust to working from home? What does the schedule look like now?

Most people are navigating working from home for the first time and you'll learn from the interviewer how the company supported them.

Perhaps they set up a dedicated workspace to separate "work" life from "home" life, created 1:1s with management and coworkers to combat loneliness, or changed up working hours to take advantage of their most productive hours. Learning what they did, what the company allowed, and how they were supported is helpful for your future.

33. How did Covid-19 change job responsibilities?

Did the pandemic change everything? Was half the team let go and the remaining employees were asked to pick up the remaining work? By now, the interviewer can probably share what changes happened and how things have unfolded moving forward.

34. How do you keep employees safe from Covid? Are there new office policies?

Does the company require vaccines? Do they require regular testing? How will you know you're safe if you're required to work inside an office with others? 

Bonus: We have 20+ pandemic interview questions you can prepare.

Remote Work Questions (If Applicable!)

35. How do you manage to work from home?

Does the hiring manager have a dedicated workspace because they are on Zoom calls all day long? Are there set hours or can you work 24/7 and no one knows the difference? Hearing how the hiring manager works from home can give you an instant picture of what they will expect from you.

36. What's the workday structure for remote employees?

This is similar to the above question, but your goal is to learn the company's expectations for remote workers. Maybe you're remote most of the time, and every Tuesday, you have to be in the office, which is different from what you thought the job description was looking for.

37. How do employees get feedback and mentoring when they are working from home?

Feedback is one of the most valuable career tools you can get. If you're not in person, how does the company and hiring manager plan to support this?

38. How has the company culture changed now that you're a fully remote company?

Only ask this if the interviewer worked in-office before and now is still with the company after they transitioned to being fully remote.

39. How do career advancement and training happen when we're not face-to-face?

How does the company support you in learning new skills when you're not in person? Do you need to submit a certification for reimbursement of an online class?

When companies were in-person, they were sometimes more relaxed about this because training might happen outside of scheduled times, etc.

40. What are the best and hardest parts about working for a fully remote company?

Remote work has a lot of perks—but it also has its challenges that you'll want to know about before you accept anything.

Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview

41. When are you looking to start the right candidate?

This spurs a discussion that helps us align expectations early so there are no startling surprises later. If you tell me you can’t start for two weeks because you want to give your current boss plenty of notice, I know you’re a person with ethical values similar to mine.

42. What are the next steps in the interview process?

Get an understanding of the timeline and what you can expect next in the interview process. It will calm your nerves and you'll have a better idea of when to follow-up

43. Is there anything that concerns you about my background being a fit for this role?

Now is the chance for the interviewer to ask you anything you've left unclear or things they might be worried about. 

44. Can I answer any final questions for you?

At this point, you have probably covered a lot of interview ground, but it's a nice way to conclude the interview and give the interviewer another shot to ask you anything.

45. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?

Perhaps they will ask if you can send a project you mentioned in one of your interview questions. Or maybe there is some other visual or example you said you have that they would love for you to send. This is your chance to show, not just tell how awesome you are!