10 Great Questions To Ask In An Interview

You’re nearing the end of your job interview, and so far, you’ve been spot on at expressing your qualifications. Then it happens: your interviewer asks if you have any questions for them, and in a moment of panic, you say they’ve covered everything. An imaginary buzzer goes off inside your head.

As an interviewee, having questions ready to ask makes all the difference in closing a successful job interview. In principle, even though you probably won’t end up asking every single question on your list, the fact that you’ve shared a few shows that you’re not applying half-heartedly. It expresses your desire to make very conscious career choices.

Allison Green, in a 2021 article for The Cut, notes that she’s interviewed seemingly thousands of job applicants and is “always surprised by how many people [say they] don’t have questions at all.” Asking questions, she explains, is actually very important for both parties, since the official hire will be “spending 40-plus hours a week at [their] job and it’ll have such a big impact on their day-to-day quality of life.”

To be fair, it can be difficult to come up with strong questions to ask during an interview, especially if your interviewer has already told you a lot of helpful information. Ideally, your interview will spark ideas and questions as you go along - but it’s still necessary to routinely prepare employer-specific questions that show you’ve done your due diligence.

To get you started, here is a selection of 10 helpful job interviewee questions to ask your hiring manager.

The Ideal Candidate

Nailing your meeting with a hiring manager and their team is a skill worth nurturing. It boils down to having self-awareness about yourself as a candidate, and expressing a genuine willingness to learn and collaborate with others. Be sure to ask your hiring manager about the qualifications they are looking for. You can express which credentials you have and note those which you’d aspire toward.

1. What is the history of this position and how has it evolved over time?

⁠If the position was created recently: why did you see a need to develop a new role within your team?

2. What do you hope the ideal candidate will be able to acc omplish during their first three to six months on board?

3. What challenges does your department currently face and what qualities will help the ideal candidate bring about resolution?

Community and Culture

Asking your interviewer about their perspective on the larger company culture is helpful on a few levels. First, it gives you a quick break from talking about yourself. Second, it serves as a reminder that job searching is a two-way street - and you’re obliged to consider if you like them too. Finally, your hiring manager’s answer will indicate how employees achieve a work-life balance there. They’ll shed valuable light on whether the opportunity is a good fit for you, and how the company tries to boost morale.

4. How would you describe the company culture? What is your favorite aspect of working here?

5. How much time is spent collaborating with a team versus working independently? Especially now that many companies are using hybrid models with remote work.

6. What constitutes a typical day in this role?

Professional Development

Never lose sight of the fact that, as an interviewer analyzes you, you’re given the power to analyze them and ultimately decide if you’d like to work together. When you apply to entry-level positions in particular, it’s a good idea to investigate whether a prospective employer offers upward mobility and long-term benefits pertaining to your career goals.

7. What professional development opportunities do you think are most valuable to people who join your team?

8. How can I look forward to growing as an employee and individual in this environment? At what rate do employees advance into new roles with additional responsibilities?

Talking Next Steps...

In addition to showing your hiring manager that you feel eager to understand the nuts and bolts of their company, ask about the onboarding process itself. Doing so will convey your forward-thinking yet practical mentality. Before the interview ends, take a moment to show your understanding of onboarding and operations on a functional level.

9. What does your onboarding process look like? How many employees will I meet and learn more from during it?

10. What projects are currently top priorities and require attention first?

Last but not least—don’t forget to organize your job search and take notes on each and every interview. All networking efforts are underscored by the importance of job tracking and following up with your connections in a timely, professional manner

Jackfruit makes this part easy; on the web app’s Networking Tracker, store all your professional contacts in one place and track your contact-related Activities as you reach out.