Best questions to ask at the end of an interview

When an interviewer asks, “Do you have any questions for us?”, it is worth having more to say than “No, I think you’ve covered everything.” 

The questions you ask can help you understand whether the role, team and organisation are right for you, while also demonstrating that you have researched the opportunity and thought carefully about the role. 

Prepare several questions in advance, but do not feel you need to ask them all. Listen carefully to what is discussed and then choose a small number that are still relevant at the end. 

If you are also preparing for questions the interviewer may ask you, take a look at our guide common interview questions and how to answer them. 

How to choose the right questions to ask 

The best interview questions are relevant to the role and help you find out something you genuinely want or need to know. 

Before the interview, think about: 

• What you could not establish from the job description or your research 
• What matters most to you when considering a new role 
• Who you are meeting and what they are likely to be able to tell you 
• What stage you are at in the recruitment process 
• What you have already discussed during the interview 

Questions about the role and day-to-day responsibilities 

The job description should give you an overview of the position, but the interview can help you understand what the role looks like in practice. 

You could ask: 

• What would a typical day or week look like in this role? 
• What would I spend most of my time working on? 
• Who would I work most closely with? 
• How does this role contribute to the wider team or organisation? 

If the interviewer has already covered this, build on what they have said. For example: “You mentioned that the role works closely with several teams. Which relationships would be particularly important for the person joining?” 

Questions about priorities and expectations 

Understanding what the employer needs from the successful candidate can give you a clearer picture of what you would be stepping into. 

Consider asking: 

• What would be the main priorities for the person joining? 
• What would you want the successful candidate to focus on during their first three to six months? 
• Are there any particular projects or pieces of work they would take responsibility for immediately? 
• What are the most important qualities you are looking for in the successful candidate? 

If the interviewer identifies a priority you have dealt with before, you can briefly explain how your experience could be relevant. 

Questions about performance and success 

It is useful to understand how the employer will define and measure success in the role. 

You might ask: 

• What would success look like in this role after six or twelve months? 
• How is performance in the role measured? 
• What would distinguish somebody who performs particularly well in this position? 
• What are the main outcomes you would expect the successful candidate to deliver? 

The answers can help you understand what you would need to prioritise if you were offered the role. 

Questions about the manager and team 

The people you work with can have a significant impact on your experience in a role, so use the interview to understand how the team operates. 

Questions could include: 

• Can you tell me more about the team I would be joining? 
• How is the team structured? 
• How would you describe the management style of the person this role reports to? 
• What are the team’s main priorities at the moment? 
• How does the team work with other parts of the organisation? 

If you are speaking directly to the hiring manager, make the question conversational. For example: “How do you like to work with your team day to day?” 

Questions about culture and ways of working

Rather than simply asking “What is the culture like?”, ask questions that encourage the interviewer to give you specific examples. 

For example: 

• How would you describe the way the team works together? 
• How are decisions usually made within the team? 
• What do people tend to value most about working here? 
• How does the organisation support collaboration across different teams? 
• How do the organisation’s values influence the way people work in practice? 

Specific questions are more likely to give you useful information than broad descriptions such as ‘friendly’ or ‘fast-paced'. 

Questions about training and career development 

If career development is important to you, it is reasonable to explore what support is available.  

You could ask: 

• What learning and development opportunities are available? 
• How do you support people who want to develop their skills or take on additional responsibility? 
• What career paths have other people in the team taken? 
• Are there opportunities to become involved in projects outside the immediate responsibilities of the role? 

Try to balance questions about future progression with interest in the role you are currently interviewing for. You want to understand where the opportunity could lead without giving the impression that you are already looking beyond it. 

Questions about challenges facing the team or organisation 

Asking about challenges can give you a more realistic picture of the role and what the organisation needs. 

Depending on the role, you might ask: 

• What are the biggest challenges facing the team at the moment? 
• Is there anything you would particularly like the successful candidate to improve or change? 
• What is likely to be the biggest challenge for somebody joining this role? 
• Are there any significant changes or projects coming up that will affect the team? 

If the challenge relates to something you have handled before, briefly explain how your experience could help. 

Questions about why the role has become available 

Understanding the background to a vacancy can give you useful context. 

You could ask: 

• Is this a new role or an existing position? 
• What has led to the role becoming available? 
• If this is a new position, what has created the need for it? 
• If someone previously held the role, how has the position changed since then? 

The answer may help you understand how the role has developed and what the employer needs from the person joining. Avoid making assumptions based solely on why somebody has left; consider it alongside everything else you learn during the recruitment process. 

Questions about the recruitment process and next steps 

It is perfectly reasonable to finish by asking what happens next. 

For example: 

• What are the next stages of the recruitment process? 
• When are you hoping to make a decision? 
• Is there anything else you need from me at this stage? 
• Is there anything about my experience or suitability for the role that you would like me to clarify? 

That final question can give you a valuable opportunity to clarify anything the interviewer is still unsure about before the interview ends. 

What questions should you ask at a first interview? 

At a first interview, focus on building your understanding of the opportunity. You might ask about the day-to-day responsibilities, immediate priorities, team structure, expectations and ways of working. 

The aim is to establish whether the role and organisation are a good fit for you, and whether the employer sees a good fit too. 

What questions should you ask at a final interview? 

By a final interview, you should already understand the basics of the role. Focus instead on longer-term priorities, challenges, expectations, development and how you could make an impact. 

Avoid repeating questions that have already been answered. Think about what this particular interviewer can add to your understanding of the opportunity. 

Questions that can help you assess an employer 

An interview is also your opportunity to decide whether you would want to accept the role if it were offered. 

Questions about priorities, workload, management, how the team has changed over time and why the vacancy has arisen can help you build a more complete picture. 

For example: 

• How long have most members of the team been with the organisation? 
• What are the biggest pressures facing the team currently? 
• How are workloads and competing priorities managed? 
• How has the team changed over the last year or two? 

Potential concerns are rarely about one particular answer. Pay attention to repeated vagueness, conflicting information or unclear expectations around areas such as workload, management, team stability or why the role has become available. 

If an answer raises a concern or seems inconsistent with information you have already received, ask a follow-up question rather than immediately drawing a conclusion. You can also discuss any concerns with your recruitment consultant after the interview if you are applying through Sellick Partnership. 

What questions should you avoid asking at an interview? 

Very few topics are completely off limits, but how and when you ask matters. 

Avoid questions that could have been answered through basic research before the interview, particularly information clearly available on the organisation’s website or in the job description. 

You should also avoid: 

• Asking a question the interviewer has already answered 
• Asking overly personal questions 
• Framing questions in an unnecessarily negative or confrontational way 
• Making assumptions about the organisation or people who work there 
• Asking so many questions that the interview cannot finish on time 

Salary, benefits and flexible working are not inappropriate subjects, but consider when and how you raise them. 

What if the interviewer has already answered your prepared questions? 

Do not repeat a question simply because you had written it down beforehand. Instead, build on something the interviewer has already said. 

For example: 

“You’ve actually answered several of the questions I had prepared. You mentioned earlier that the team will be going through some changes over the next year. Could you tell me a little more about what that will mean for this role?” 

If all your questions have already been answered, it is also fine to say so 

How to ask about salary, benefits and flexible working 

Salary, benefits and working arrangements are important when deciding whether a role is right for you, so you do not need to avoid these topics altogether. If a salary range or working pattern has already been advertised, use this as your starting point and focus on anything that remains unclear. 

If you are interviewing for a role through Sellick Partnership, your recruitment consultant may already have discussed the salary range, benefits and working arrangements with you before the interview. Speak to them if you are unsure about any aspect of the package. 

Where you do need to ask the employer directly, keep the question straightforward and appropriate to the stage of the process. 

For example: 

“Could you tell me a little more about the overall benefits package?” 

or: 

“The job description mentions hybrid working. How does that usually work for this team?” 

Avoid making salary, holiday or benefits your only questions at the end of an interview. You should also show that you are interested in the role itself, the organisation and what you could contribute. 

Prepare your questions before the interview 

Preparing questions is an important part of interview preparation, but you should not treat them as a script. 

Research the organisation, read the job description again and note down the areas you would most like to understand. Then listen carefully during the interview and adapt your questions based on the conversation. 

For more support, read our How to prepare for a job interview: tips and checklist guide.

If you are interviewing for a role through Sellick Partnership, your recruitment consultant can help you prepare by sharing relevant information about the employer, role and interview process, as well as discussing any questions or concerns you have before or after the interview. 

You can also browse our latest vacancies or contact Sellick Partnership to speak to one of our specialist recruitment consultants. 

Sellick Partnership: Interview guides

Looking for more support with your interview preparation? Our how to prepare for an interview guide covers the full process, including researching the organisation, preparing examples, answering common interview questions and what to do before, during and after your interview.