Questions You Should Ask During an Interview

There's plenty of information out there about what kinds of questions to be prepared for in an interview.  If you're lucky, you find someone who can tell you how to answer those questions.  But there's that part of the interview, at the end, where they ask if you have any questions for them.  You've probably been asking questions here and there throughout the process but you should still have a couple reserved specifically for this part of the conversation.  They're not just asking you to be polite, they want to see how interested you are in working for them.  But what should you ask?  Here are three great questions that make you look good and keep them on their toes.

Related: Common Interview Questions & How to Answer

1.   "What is your definition of success in this position for the first 6 months?  And further on, for the first year?  What do you expect the person filling this role to accomplish?"

Now, hopefully they've actually thought about this.  You'd be surprised at how often a hiring manager doesn't really consider this at all.  Frequently they're just hiring a replacement for someone who left and figure on just maintaining the previous status quo.  Asking this shows you're looking not only to complete the daily tasks but go above and beyond to actually achieve something and take this position to the next level.  

2.   "What plans or programs do you have in place for employee career development?  Is there an established or expected career path for this position?"

Every company claims to be invested in employee career development.  Unfortunately, that just isn't true.  They have to say it because it's expected and it sounds good.  And they really can't just come out and say that they don't care about your career and you're on your own because no one would want to work there.  The only way to know where this company stands, is to ask this question.  If you have a choice, you want to work for a company that actively retains their employees.  One of the ways they do that is through career development and established career pathways for advancement.  In this job market, however, many companies don't bother because they know most people are just happy to have a job.  And whether you'll actually be able to advance or not in the position you're interviewing for may not matter when you just need to keep a roof over your head.  But it's good to know where you stand from the beginning.  It means the difference between working to build a long-term career at that location or doing everything you can to build up your resume so you can move on after a few years.  You'll know as soon as they answer that question.

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3.  "What is your timeframe for filling this position?  Do you notify candidates whether or not they've been hired?"

The worst part about a job interview is the wait to hear back.  It's agonizing.  You lose sleep, you obsessively check your phone and stay stressed until you know.  And sometimes, the only way you know is that that you haven't heard from them.  In the meantime, you've worried about it for weeks, or even months.  By asking this question you'll at least know when they plan to fill the position.  If that time goes by and you haven't heard anything and the interviewer has given you a contact email or phone number, you can check and find out for sure.  But at the least, it gives you an end date to your worrying and stressing.  That way, you have a little more control by knowing what to expect which will always relieve some stress.

If you're worried you might not remember these questions when you get to the interview, write them down.  Take a small notebook with you to take notes and have these questions ready to go.  Make a few notes while they answer.  Not only will it help you remember what they said but it makes you look genuinely interested and engaged.  Now you'll remember your questions and show that you're taking the job seriously.


When you're asked if you have any questions, make sure you have something prepared.  At the very worst you can mention questions you asked during the interview and say that they've been answered.  Or, you can ask a follow up question to something you asked about earlier.  But whatever you do, ask something.  Just not about when you can take time off or when you can expect a company car.  Don't do that in the interview.  Just don't.