Qestions To Ask During A Job Interview

You probably already know that an interview isn't
just a chance for a hiring manager to grill you—
it's your opportunity to sniff out whether a job is
the right fit for you . Which means: It's important
to go in with some questions. What do you want
to know about the position? The company? The
department? The team?

To get you thinking, we've put together a list of
key questions to ask in your interview. We
definitely don't suggest asking all of them rapid-
fire—some of this stuff will certainly be covered
during the course of your discussion, and you
can weave in other questions as you go.



But when the inevitable, "So, do you have any
questions for us?" part of the interview comes?
Use this list to make sure you've covered all
your bases.

The Job
First, make sure you have a handle on exactly
what the day-to-day responsibilities of the job
will be—both now and in the future.

1. What does a typical day look like?



2. What are the most immediate projects that
need to be addressed?

3. Can you show me examples of projects I'd be
working on?

4. What are the skills and experiences you’re
looking for in an ideal candidate?

5. What attributes does someone need to have in
order to be really successful in this position?

6. What types of skills is the team missing that
you’re looking to fill with a new hire?

7. What are the biggest challenges that someone
in this position would face?

8. What sort of budget would I be working with?

9. Is this a new role that has been created?

10. Do you expect the main responsibilities for
this position to change in the next six months to
a year?

11. How will I be trained?

12. What training programs are available to your
employees?

13. Are there opportunities for advancement or
professional development ?

14. Would I be able to represent the company at
industry conferences?
15. Where is the last person who held this job
moving on to?

16. Where have successful employees
previously in this position progressed to?
Your Performance
Make sure you're setting yourself up for success
by learning up front the goals of the position and
how your work will be evaluated.

17. What are the most important things you’d like
to see someone accomplish in the first 30, 60,
and 90 days on the job?

18. What are the performance expectations of
this position over the first 12 months?

19. What is the performance review process like
here? How often would I be formally reviewed?

20. What metrics or goals will my performance
be evaluated against?

Interviewer

Asking questions of the interviewer shows that
you're interested in him or her as a person—and
that's a great way to build rapport.

21. How long have you been with the company?

22. Has your role changed since you've been
here?

23. What did you do before this?

24. Why did you come to this company?

25. What’s your favorite part about working here?

The Company

Because you're not just working for one boss or
one department, you're working for the company
as a whole.

26. I've read about the company's founding, but
can you tell me more about ___?

27. Where do you see this company in the next
few years?

28. What can you tell me about your new
products or plans for growth?

29. What are the current goals that the company
is focused on, and how does this team work to
support hitting those goals?

30. What gets you most excited about the
company's future?

The Team

The people you work with day in and day out can
really make or break your work life. Ask some
questions to uncover whether it's the right team
for you.

31. Can you tell me about the team I’ll be working
with?

32. Who will I work with most closely?

33. Who will I report to directly?

34. Can you tell me about my direct reports?
What are their strengths and the team's biggest
challenges?

35. Do you expect to hire more people in this
department in the next six months?

36. Which other departments work most closely
with this one?

37. What are the common career paths in this
department?

The Culture

Is the office buttoned-up conservative or a fly-
by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of place? Learn
the subtle, but oh-so-important, aspects of
company culture.

38. What is the company and team culture like?

39. How would you describe the work
environment here—is the work
typically collaborative or more independent?

40. Can you tell me about the last team event
you did together?

41. Is there a formal mission statement or
company values? (Note: Make sure this isn't
Google-able!)

42. What's your favorite office tradition?

43. What do you and the team usually do for
lunch?

44. Does anyone on the team hang out outside
the office?

45. Do you ever do joint events with other
companies or departments?

46. What's different about working here than
anywhere else you've worked?

47. How has the company changed since you
joined?

Next Steps

Before you leave, make sure the interviewer has
all of the information he or she needs and that
you're clear on the next steps by asking these
questions.

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

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

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

51. Can I answer any final questions for you?