Questions to ask at the end of an interview, and the ones to avoid

Almost every interview ends with the same line: "Do you have any questions for us?" Many candidates, relieved that the hard part is over, say no. That is a missed chance. The questions you ask show how seriously you have thought about the job, and they help you decide whether you actually want it. They are also the last thing the interviewer remembers about you.

A few ground rules

• Ask two or three questions. One feels like a formality. Ten feels like you are interviewing them.
• Ask things you cannot find online. Questions answered on the company's website or careers page suggest you did not prepare.
• Match the question to the interviewer. An engineer can tell you about code reviews. An HR manager can tell you about training and timelines.
• Listen to the answer. A short follow-up based on what they said is often the best question of all.
• Prepare more than you need. Some of your questions will be answered during the interview, so have five or six ready.

Questions about the role

• What would success look like in this role after three months? After a year?
• What does a typical week look like for someone in this position?
• What are the biggest challenges the team is facing right now?
• Which tools and technologies would I use most in the first few months?
• Is this a new role, or am I replacing someone? What did they move on to?

Questions about the team

• How is the team structured, and who would I work with most closely?
• How does the team share feedback, for example through code reviews or regular one-to-ones?
• How does the team decide what to work on next?
• What do you enjoy most about working here?

That last one works well with any interviewer. People enjoy answering it, and the answer often tells you a lot about the culture.

Questions about growth

• How do people usually grow from this role? Can you share an example?
• What training or mentoring is available for new joiners, especially freshers?
• How and when is performance reviewed?

Questions for the technical round

• How is the codebase tested, and how often do you deploy?
• What does the architecture of the product look like at a high level?
• How much of the work is on new features compared with maintaining existing systems?
• What is one technical decision the team would make differently if it started again?

Questions for the HR round

The HR round is the right place for practical questions:

• What are the next steps in the process, and when can I expect to hear back?
• Is there a training period for freshers, and does it involve a service agreement?
• What would the work location and working hours be? Is the role hybrid or on-site?
• How flexible is the joining date?

Salary questions belong here too, usually once an offer is being discussed. When it is, ask for the full salary breakup so you can compare offers properly. Our guide to CTC versus in-hand salary explains what to look for.

Questions to avoid

• Anything answered on the website. "What does your company do?" is the classic example.
• Salary, leave and perks in an early technical round. They are fair questions, but the technical interviewer usually cannot answer them, and asking only about benefits can sound like your main interest.
• "Did I get the job?" It puts the interviewer on the spot. Ask about the timeline instead.
• Negatively framed questions. "How many hours do people really work here?" sounds like a complaint. Try "What does work-life balance look like on the team?"
• Questions that reveal you were not listening. If the interviewer explained the team structure ten minutes ago, do not ask about it again.

How to close the interview

After your questions, end with one or two sentences that confirm your interest. For example:

"Thank you, this has been really useful. Hearing about the migration project makes me even more interested in the role, and I think my experience with database optimisation would help there. I look forward to hearing about the next steps."

Keep it brief and sincere. Then, within a day, send a short thank-you note. Our guide on how to follow up after an interview has templates. For the rest of the interview, prepare with our interview guides by role.