38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

Questions about the specific job

1. What are your expectations for me in this role?
2. What’s the most important thing I should accomplish in the first 90 days?
3. What’s the performance review process like here? How often would I be formally reviewed?
4. What metrics or goals will my performance be evaluated against?
5. What are the most immediate projects that I would take on?
6. How long before I will be… [meeting with clients, have responsibility for my own accounts, interacting with other departments, etc.]?

Questions about the team

7. What types of skills is the team missing that you’re looking to fill with a new hire?
8. What are the biggest challenges that I might face in this position?
9. Do you expect my main responsibilities in this position to change in the next six months to a year?
10. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working with?
11. Who will I work with most closely? What other departments or units will I interact with?
12. Can you tell me about my direct reports? What are their strengths and the team’s biggest challenges?

Questions for your potential boss

If the interviewer is your boss, you want to ask questions along these lines as well.

13. How long have you been at the company?
14. How long have you been a manager?
15. What’s your favorite part of working here?

Questions about the company

One important note here: Don’t ask things that you can easily find with a quick Google search (more on this in the “Questions to Avoid” section).

16. What are the current goals that the company is focused on, and how does this team work to support hitting those goals?
17. What gets you most excited about the company’s future?
18. How would you describe the company’s values?
19. How has the company changed over the last few years?
20. What are the company’s plans for growth and development?

Questions about the culture

21. How do you typically onboard employees? (If the position will be remote, ask specifically about how remote employees are integrated into the company culture.)
22. What do new employees typically find surprising after they start?
23. Is there anything that I should read before starting that would help me have a shared understanding with my colleagues?
24. What’s your favorite office tradition?
25. What do you and the team usually do for lunch?
26. Do you ever do joint events with other departments or teams?
27. What’s different about working here than anywhere else you’ve worked?
28. How has the company changed since you joined?

Questions about professional development, career paths, and future opportunities

29. What learning and development opportunities will I have in this role?
30. How does the team I’ll be part of continue to grow professionally?
31. Are there examples of a career path beginning with this position?
32. What are the common career paths in this department?
33. How are promotions typically handled?
34. Where have successful employees moved on to?

Closing questions

35. What am I not asking you that I should?
36. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?
37. Is there anything I clarify for you about my qualifications?
38. What are the next steps in the hiring process?

Questions to Avoid

Here are a few examples of what not to ask at the end of your interview:

• What’s the starting salary?
• Can you tell me about your health insurance?
• What are your paid leave policies?

Like this content? Why not share it?