Questions to Ask an Employer During a Job Interview

At the end of most job interviews, the interviewer will ask “What questions do you have for me?”

Anticipating this being asked and having thoughtful questions prepared will help show the interviewer your interest and enthusiasm for the job. It’s also a great way for you to get to know more about the role itself and gain additional information to help you decide if the role — and company — would truly be a good fit for you.

So, what are some good questions to ask an interviewer?

There are several different types of questions to ask an employer during a job interview that will help you learn more about the role, get a feel for the company culture and overall gain insight into if the job is the right next step for you and your career.

Questions to Ask About the Role

The job description that prompted your application for the job likely provided high-level overview information about the role and its general responsibilities. But what additional details would be helpful for you to know to ask questions about the role? Maybe learning more specifics about the day-to-day tasks of the role, what the expectations for the role are within a certain period of time from being hired, or what growth opportunities look like in the future.

Here are some role-specific questions you could consider asking the hiring manager:

1. Can you explain more about what my day-to-day responsibilities would be?
2. What are some of the abilities and skills needed to be successful in this position?
3. Can you tell me about what a typical day in this role looks like?
4. What is the history of this position?
5. What do you think is the most challenging aspect of the job?
6. Who would I be reporting to?
7. What are three main qualities you are looking for in a candidate?
8. What type of accomplishments would you expect in the first six months?
9. What does the career path look like for someone in this role?

Questions to Ask About the Department

Asking questions about the department and understanding how it fits into the broader company strategy will help you gauge where the department aligns with the operations of the company. It also might shed some light on how decision making happens within the company and where the department gets its projects, initiatives or goals.

Here are some department-specific questions you could consider asking the hiring manager:

1. What are the short-term / long-term goals for this department and how do they relate to the company as a whole?
2. How are goals and priorities set for the department?
3. How many people are currently on the team and how would the person in this role collaborate with them?
4. How would you describe the department’s dynamic?
5. Please tell me about the company’s management style.

Questions to Ask About the Company and Its Culture

Learning more about a company’s culture can help you assess if it would be somewhere you’d like to work or feel good about going to every day. Asking questions about a company’s culture can help you gain a better understanding of how the team works together, what the company’s mission and values are, and what type of support you experience throughout your career.

Here are some company culture-related questions you could ask the hiring manager:

1. Tell me about the history of growth of your company. How has it grown to this point?
2. What is the company’s highest priority in the next six months, and how could someone like me help?
3. What are the characteristics of your top performers?
4. What does your onboarding process look like?
5. Tell me about your training program. What would my specific training involve?
6. How does the company support professional development?
7. How do you see me fitting in with your company?
8. How would you define the company’s values and how do employees contribute to them?
9. If I were to ask your top performer what he/she likes most/least about the company, what kind of response would I get?

Questions to Ask About the Interview Process and Next Steps

Having an understanding of what comes next after an interview can help you understand the overall process and what you can expect next.

Here are some interview-related questions the hiring manager could answer:

1. What does your interview process entail regarding next steps after this interview?
2. How do I compare with other qualified candidates?
3. Do you have any reservations about me being successful with your company that I could help address before we end?
4. Is there anything else I could provide you that would be helpful?
5. When, how and with whom should I follow up?

Whichever questions you decide to ask, it’s a good idea to have at least five smart questions prepared in case some of your original questions get covered earlier in the interview. You’ll want to make sure that you’re not asking questions about things that have already been discussed, so having back-up questions at the ready will help you pivot with confidence.

Ready to put these questions to use in your next interview? Explore open positions or connect with a recruiter today to find job opportunities near you.