Job Search: 8 Questions to Ask an Interviewer

Have you ever been stumped on what to ask an interviewer at the end of your interview? You know that awkward time when they ask if you have any questions and you say something to the effect of, "Actually, I think you answered all my questions."

That's not going to cut it if you're interviewing with an experienced interviewer (or if they read my post about Listening as an Interviewer). I touched on this topic before in How to Prep for a Virtual Interview, but thought I should expand on the topic.

I'm guessing you read the title and thought, "Great! She's going to give me a list of questions I should ask when I go for my next job interview!" Well, you're half right. I will, but I also wanted to get you thinking about what those questions mean, and what you can get out of that time with an interviewer.

  What to Think About  


Your questions of the interviewer shouldn't be "when to I start" or "how much does the job pay" or other information gathering questions. Those are fine to ask at some point, but use your time wisely to use the question portion of your interview to continue to sell yourself!

Your questions should be make the interviewer think, demonstrate understanding of the industry/market or your functional expertise, or uncover more about the job for which you're interviewing.

  7 Examples  

Thanks to everyone who contributed ideas for questions to ask interviewers. You'll see that I tagged their companies below.

1. If your interviewer will be your manager: 

Question: Describe a past manager/employee relationship that worked successfully for you.

What it Does: This question gets the interviewer to truly disclose the type of manager they are! No manager in their right mind would ever say "I micromanage my staff" but many do just that. By asking the question in this way, you get a peek into the way the prefer to operate.

2.  If the organization seems to need a change, is going through a change, or seems just hectic overall:

Question: If you could stop doing your job for 60 days and focus on one effort, what would it be and why?

What it Does: This questions serves two purposes. First, it gets the interviewer to share what they want to change or improve which shows you a window into what the team/organization is really like. Second, it gets the interviewer to think and gives them an outlet, which are both good for the impression you'll leave on them! 

3. If there is something going on in the news right now that is relevant to the industry or the functional area of the job:

Question: I've been reading about [describe the topic] in the news recently and was thinking [state your opinion]. I was hoping to get your perspective on what's going on. (or, what effect is that having on your company?)

What it Does: Three things: (a) it shows you're up on the news that's relevant to the organization, (b) it demonstrates your knowledge about that news, and (c) it gets a perspective from someone who lives and breaths that news every day (i.e., it flatters them, and shows you what they think about the situation).

4. To see what the future holds:

Question: What are you most excited about over the next 6-12 months? (submitted by Jen Dalton of Brand Mirror)

What it Does: This question will first demonstrate the interviewers passion and engagement in their job. Then it will demonstrate what is on the horizon for the organization or industry that you may not have known to ask about. As a side note, this is also a great question to ask colleagues if you feel you're getting in a rut at work. 

5. To see what challenges the company will face:

Question: What is the next big challenge you will face over the next 3-6 months? (submitted by Gail Legaspi-Gaull of Hat Trick 3C)

What it Does: It allows the interviewer to go a multitude of directions! If there is something big happening in the industry, they'll launch into something more in depth than you would have known to ask about. If something is about to occur in the company, they may share more information than if you asked a company-specific question. And finally, you may learn something more personal about the interviewer, as they may interpret the question about their career or professional growth. Essentially, the interviewer will hear that question with whatever filter is on their mind.

6. To learn what will be expected of you:

Question: If I get this job, what 3 things would you want me to have accomplished by this time next year? (submitted by Jennifer Olsen Mathissen of Catapult Marketing)

What it Does: This question is one that the interviewer has likely thought about (at least somewhat). The answer should allow you to clarify your expectations about the role.

7. If you want uncover something about the company that you wouldn't know to ask:

Question: What is the biggest difference between what you now know about your firm today, and how you perceived this firm when you were sitting in my seat interviewing for a position? (submitted by John Forsythe from Deloitte)

What it Does: This question gets the interviewer to reflect on their own past and also puts the interviewer back in the interviewee's shoes which could work in your favor (empathy). Lastly, it helps you get a glimpse into the company "behind the scenes." Hopefully, the interviewer will share something that will shed light in a way you wouldn't know otherwise.

8. To get the interviewer to level with you:

Question: What is one limiting factor in my candidacy for this position? 

What it Does: This question gives the interviewer free reign to actually mention something like "we really need someone with xx experience" or "you don't have the certification required". They may not say anything specific, but if they do, you'll walk away knowing that if you don't get the job, it may just not be the right fit for you, rather than wondering what you did wrong.

I Want to Hear From You  

What questions has someone asked you? Or what question did you get a good response from when you interviewed?