Questions to Ask in a Job Interview: 3 Tips and Examples by Role

Updated 2026/10/13

Today I want to talk about a part of the job interview that matters a lot and gets overlooked: the questions you ask at the end. A common mistake is focusing so much on preparing answers that you forget your own questions are also a chance to show how you think and how much you want the role.

The last step of the interview deserves as much care as the rest, because it is the final impression you leave. It is also your chance to learn more about the company, the role and the interviewer. Handle it badly and you can undo the good work that came before, so plan your questions ahead of time instead of asking whatever comes to mind.

This article covers how to use questions to make the interview more of a conversation, how to tailor them to the interviewer’s role, and how they can quickly win the interviewer over. It includes:

• How to handle the question time at the end of an interview
• Questions that will make the interviewer remember you
• Questions to ask each type of interviewer (with real examples) 👉🏻 Read to the end!

Interview Question Strategy: 3 Key Tips

Near the end, the interviewer will usually ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” It’s a great chance to learn about the company’s background, whether the culture suits you, what the promotion path for the role looks like and more, so make the most of it.

Your questions also show how well you understand the role and how interested you are in the company. If you ask sincere, thoughtful questions, the interviewer can see that you did your homework and really want to join, and that leaves a good impression.

Don’t Interrogate the Interviewer or Ask Like a Reporter

After the interviewer answers, respond to what they said. For example: “Thank you, I’m really looking forward to… I also have a question about xxx…” Most people, though, finish one question and go straight to the next with no transition, which makes the conversation feel stiff. It can even feel like you’re interrogating the interviewer… A normal conversation isn’t a string of questions and answers. When the interviewer finishes, build on what they said with a follow-up question or a response of your own.

If the interviewer’s answer gives you an opening to add relevant experience or qualities you didn’t mention earlier, take it. Say you ask, “What qualities do the most successful people on the team have in common?” Whatever qualities the interviewer names, you can point to past experience that shows them, which puts you a step closer to the successful candidates and to becoming the next successful colleague.

Asking the Right Questions: Be Specific and Go Deep

Don’t ask anything you could find on the company website or in public information. If you ask something very basic, the interviewer may think you didn’t prepare, and one bad question can wipe out everything you did well before it. If you research ahead of time and ask specific questions about the company’s recent activities or business direction, the interviewer will be much more impressed.

The second half of this article includes example questions you can use. Ask thoughtful questions so the interviewer can see your preparation and judgment.

In the early rounds, avoid questions about salary, benefits, working hours and the like. These can usually wait until you discuss the offer or salary with HR, or your final interview with the hiring manager.

Open and Close Your Questions with Respect and Courtesy

After your last question, you can say, “Thank you so much for your advice. I’ve learned a lot, and I really enjoyed our conversation today. Thank you for your time.” This shows you respect their time, builds a personal connection, and avoids an awkward stop when you run out of questions.

I also recommend asking the interviewer for their email address. After the interview, you can send a thank-you letter to add information, express your thanks and leave a stronger impression.

For more on writing thank-you letters, see 👉🏻 this article.

The Logic Behind the Questions

Here is a list of questions. Next to each example, I’ve added the purpose behind it so you can understand the logic and come up with your own.

Example question	Purpose
What does the promotion and career path look like for this role? Is there a training program or a mentor?	Shows the interviewer you’ve thought seriously about how to succeed in the role
What qualities do you value in a candidate?	Once the interviewer answers, we can briefly explain how we match those qualities (a chance to share more about ourselves)
If I have the opportunity to join, how can I prepare in advance?	Shows our interest and our eagerness to learn
What is the company culture like? What do you enjoy most about your work?	You can’t learn this from the job description (JD). You want a culture you’ll enjoy, and the interviewer wants someone who will fit in
How is performance in this role evaluated?	Shows confidence, tells you the role’s Success Metric (KPI), and shows you’re eager to learn more about the job

Example Questions for Each Type of Interviewer

Find out who is interviewing you first, then ask questions that fit. It’s more effective and makes the interviewer feel respected. Say your interviewer is a Skip Level Manager (your manager’s manager) and you ask about basic, entry-level details of the daily work. A senior manager often won’t know those details, so you need to adjust your questions to the interviewer’s position (level and team) and background (education and experience).

This applies beyond job interviews. In business school and MBA interviews, you also need questions tailored to whether you’re talking to admissions staff, current students or alumni. I’ll write a separate post on MBA interviews later!

The questions below show strong commitment and ambition for the job. You can also use the interviewer’s answers to get a rough sense of your chances and to guide how you approach your next interview.

Questions for HR (Recruiter / HR)

1. If I have the opportunity to join this team, what would you expect from me?→ [Afterward, explain the experience and skills you can bring]
2. Are there opportunities each year to change roles, switch teams or departments, or get a raise?
3. How is the department for this role structured?→ [Find out who you would report to]
4. When will I hear about the result? What do the later interview rounds look like?
5. What training programs does the company offer new employees?→ [Learn about training and development opportunities and how the company supports employee growth]
6. What core values does the company care about most?→ [Understand the company culture and values]
7. What are the most critical skills needed to have success in this role? → [Gather information before the next round (Data Gathering)]
8. Anything that this team specifically looks for from a culture fit perspective? → [Gather information before the next round (Data Gathering)]

Questions for the Hiring Manager

1. What challenges might I face in this job?→ [After the manager names the challenges, explain how you would handle them]
2. What qualities do successful candidates have? → [Then relate your past experience to the qualities they mention. This one works with almost any interviewer!]
3. What specific expectations do you have for team members? How are KPIs for this role measured?
4. Is there anything I can prepare in advance?
5. What advice would you give someone who wants to build a long career in this industry or field?
6. What does a typical day in this role look like?
7. What are my future team’s long-term and short-term goals?→ [Learn about projects and team dynamics: ask what kinds of projects you might work on and how the team is structured]

Questions for Peers and Future Teammates (Junior / Peers)

At some multinational companies, people at the same level as the role also interview you. When that happens, you can get more insights and details about the job.

1. What is day-to-day work like? What challenges come up when you first join, and how do you get past them?
2. Is there anything I can prepare before I start?
3. What do you like the best about your role and the company?
4. What do you look for in a team member? → [Similar to the question above about the qualities of successful candidates]
5. Does the team tend to work on projects together or alone?

Questions for Your Manager’s Manager (Skip Level Manager)

In the later rounds, there’s a good chance a very senior manager will interview you. This is the time to ask higher-level, big-picture questions that show your strategic thinking and business sense.

1. Learning from several coffee chats, XXX team/department/business is rapidly growing. What is the biggest opportunity for your team/department/business this year? → [Learn how fast the team is growing, and quietly signal that you’ve done plenty of coffee chats and research]
2. Are there any questions from my background/anything I can clarify from my answers today or from my background regarding fit for this role? → [Another question that works almost anywhere. You hand it back to the interviewer and find out whether there’s anything you can add or explain]
3. What does success look like in this position? If you could break that down over the first 3-6 months, the first year, and after two years? → [Similar to the KPI question above, and it also shows drive and curiosity]

FAQ

How do I find out who my interviewer is?

Ask your recruiter before the interview. Explain that you’d like to tailor your questions to the interviewer and prepare them in advance. They’re usually happy to share!

If I already know the company well, do I still need to ask questions?

Yes! Asking questions shows what you know, and it also shows enthusiasm and that you take the opportunity seriously. However much you know, the interviewer knows more, so sometimes it’s worth asking a question you think you already know the answer to. You can also use one of the examples above, “Learning from several coffee chats, …”: say where you learned something first, then dig deeper or check with the interviewer that you understood it correctly.

Could a poorly chosen question reveal that I misunderstand the role?

Very possibly. Research and think carefully as you prepare, so you don’t ask something inappropriate. That will cost you a lot!

To learn how to get more interviews and build a professional network, read 👉🏻 this article on building a professional LinkedIn profile.