From doing your research on a company beforehand to reading up on the most common interview questions, preparation is the key to acing an interview. In a typical internship or job interview, once the interviewer is done asking their questions, they will ask if you have any questions for them. This isn’t to be polite — it’s a way to assess your skills further, while also giving you the chance to gain new information on the company and the position you’re interviewing for.
As the nature of work and how we work — on-site, remotely, or hybrid —- continues to evolve, those end-of-interview questions have become even more important because they can help you make an apples-to-apples comparison when evaluating companies and deciding whether or not to accept an offer.
If you’re unsure of which questions you should ask, below are some questions that should work regardless of the role you’re applying for or the work environment. Keep three or four of these in mind for the end of the interview, and be sure you’re not asking something that was already answered during the interview.
Is there anything I said during the interview you want me to expand on before I ask a few questions?
Asking this question before diving into your own provides the interviewer with an opportunity to tie up any loose threads from earlier parts of your conversation. It’s also fine if the interviewer does not have any additional questions and wants to allocate those last few minutes to your questions.
Do you have any hesitations about my background or skills in relation to this position?
Asking this question opens the door for you to address any perceived gaps in skills and experience, especially if your academic or professional background differs from the “traditional” background for a given role. In these cases, you can provide additional context about how your previous work experience relates to the job description, underscore your transferable skills, or directly address any other concerns shared by the interviewer.
Why did you join the company and how long have you been here?
An interview is a two-way street, and it’s okay (and encouraged!) to ask about your interviewer’s personal experience with the employer. By asking this question, you might learn some interesting context, such as if they reached their current position after starting with an internship, entry-level role, or rotational program, or if they joined from a competitor or a different industry. This question can also indicate if employees tend to spend a short amount of time at the company or if they have longer tenures.
What is your favorite part about working here?
This is one of those questions that gets at someone’s individual experience with the company culture–and gives the interviewer the opportunity to “sell” the role even more. See if your interviewer is most excited about their team, the product/service, the day-to-day tasks, or some other aspect of the company. If you have a few different interviewers and ask this question multiple times, you might also see some common patterns emerge in their answers to the question.
How would you describe the culture in the office (or working remotely)?
If you want to take a less personal approach, you can also ask directly about company culture. Asking the question broadly gives the interviewer some leeway in what they want to highlight, such as if people in the office like to get lunch together, what remote employees do to feel connected to their coworkers, or what team-building or community service opportunities are offered.
What challenges is the business currently facing?
After starting a new job, you’ll soon become familiar with the challenges the business is facing. Get ahead of the learning curve by asking during the interview what the business’ main challenges are right now–and, if you can think of a scenario in school or a previous job where you faced a similar challenge, share that with the interviewer. As a follow-up question, you might consider asking how the role (or the team) you’re interviewing for will contribute to solving some of those challenges.
What are the near/mid/long term goals of the company?
You don’t need to wait until your first day in the office (or on Zoom) to learn about the company’s goals. Launching new products, growing sales, expanding to new markets—any of these and more might be on the horizon. Asking about long-term goals or vision can also be an indicator that you feel invested in the company’s success and want to be a part of it.
What kind of team would I be working on? Is it collaborative, or more individually-focused?
Most roles will involve some combination of teamwork and individual work. This question can provide more context about the size and structure of the team you would be working with, as well as how each person’s role fits together into the whole. As part of this question, you might also ask about typical meeting cadences and any project management tools that are being used to manage workflows.
What challenges does someone in this role face?
When interviewers try to “sell” candidates on a role, it’s likely they will focus on the day-to-day responsibilities and the benefits of working for the company or on the specific team. To gain a more holistic understanding of the role, ask about potential challenges, too. This can be especially helpful for entry-level roles or internships that a company recruits for frequently, since the interviewer or recruiter likely has a lot of feedback or data points that they can draw upon.
What would you expect someone in my position to accomplish in the first few months on the job?
Many new employees work with their managers to develop a “30/60/90” plan, which outlines the goals and milestones the employee should reach at the 30-day mark, the 60-day mark, and the 90-day mark. Asking this question during the interview can provide some insights as to how the hiring manager is already thinking about the 30/60/90 plan and what goals they have in mind for the new employee.
How do you typically measure success in this role?
Every role will have performance metrics, and it’s helpful to know upfront what those expectations are. You’ll likely find that employers use a combination of quantitative and qualitative measures of success. For example, a sales team might need to meet a sales quota, while other roles might focus more on meeting project deadlines. You can also ask about how frequently performance reviews are conducted or how often managers give formal feedback.
What traits have people that have been successful in the position demonstrated?
You’re already familiar with the job description (and may have already asked about performance metrics), so take this opportunity to go a level deeper and learn how best to position yourself for success. For example, you might learn that being proactive is a key trait for being successful in the role, or that strong communication skills are essential.
What are the opportunities for professional development at the company?
Many employers are invested in further developing their employees’ skills and experience, so we recommend asking about any formal professional development programs they have in place. Professional development can take many forms, including mentorship programs, shadowing opportunities, lunch and learns, tuition remission for relevant coursework, support for attending industry conferences, or subscriptions to e-learning programs like LinkedIn Learning.
Where do people who have held this position typically end up next?
In other words, what does career progression look like for someone in the role? Some organizations have a clear track through which an entry-level employee can gradually take on more responsibilities and earn promotions. For other companies, career growth is more self-directed or not as clearly defined. This is also a good follow-up question if the interviewer asks you about your own career goals or where you see yourself in the next five to ten years.
What are the next steps in this process?
A great way to close the interview, this question can reiterate your interest and help you to prepare for any additional interviews or hiring assessments. If the interview is the last step in the hiring process, you might instead choose to ask about their timeline for making a decision.
On the flip side, it’s helpful to know some specific questions not to ask at the end of the interview. Here are some definite question areas to avoid:
Anything you can Google.
It sounds obvious, but you shouldn’t be asking questions in an interview that can be answered by a Google search or a look around the company website. Use your research on the company beforehand to provide context for questions you ask.
The amount of time you will have to work.
Asking if you have to work long hours or put in extra time on the weekends might be a valid question, but it can send the wrong message in an interview. If you really want to know, ask about what a typical day looks like for someone in this role or save this kind of question for after you have the offer. If the position is on-site, you can also ask what hours the office is typically open.
Questions that might raise some doubt.
Asking if a company requires a drug test or a background check for the position might have the interviewer wondering if you have anything to hide. Similarly, asking what constitutes a fireable offense can leave the interviewer feeling uneasy.
Not only do your end-of-interview questions show the person interviewing you that you’re invested in the position and can think critically, you can also gain some important intel if you’re offered the position. You might also think of some questions to ask on the spot based on the conversation between you and your interviewer — which can demonstrate that you felt actively engaged in the interview — but it’s also good to have some questions prepared in advance. When in doubt, ask questions that focus on the company culture and what’s expected of successful employees. Your questions likely won’t make or break your chances of getting the job, but coming in prepared with solid questions provides another reason why a company should hire you. Looking for more interview advice or how to find an internship or entry-level job? Discover opportunities right now on RippleMatch here.
