What Questions Should I Ask an Interviewer?
Short answer: Ask two or three questions about the role and the team: what a typical day looks like, what success would look like in the first three months, and who you would work with. Save detailed questions about salary and leave for the offer stage unless the interviewer raises them first.
The end of an interview — “do you have any questions for us?” — is not a formality. It is still part of the assessment, and it is the one part where you set the agenda.
Why it matters
Answering “no, I think you’ve covered everything” is the most common response and the weakest. It suggests you had not thought about the role enough to be curious about it.
Good questions do three things: show you have thought seriously about the job, give you information you actually need, and shift the conversation from examination to discussion.
Questions worth asking
About the role itself
- “What does a typical day in this role look like?” The most useful question you can ask. Job descriptions are often written optimistically; the answer tells you what the work really is.
- “What would success look like in the first three months?” Shows you are thinking about delivering, and tells you how you will be measured.
- “What are the main challenges someone in this role faces?” Invites an honest answer and often reveals the real reason the position is open.
- “Is this a new position, or am I replacing someone?” If replacing, it is reasonable to ask what happened — a straight answer is a good sign.
About the team and the business
- “Who would I be working with most closely?”
- “How is the team structured?”
- “How does the business see this department developing?”
About growth
- “What does progression look like for someone who does well here?”
- “Is there support for training or certification?” Particularly worth asking for accounts, MIS and technical roles, where employers sometimes fund courses.
About next steps
- “What are the next steps, and when might I expect to hear?” Always worth asking. It closes the conversation cleanly and tells you when following up is appropriate.
What to avoid at a first interview
Leading with leave and holidays. It is a fair thing to care about, but as your first question it signals the wrong priority. Save it for the offer stage.
“What does your company do?” You should have found this out beforehand. Asking reveals that you did not.
Detailed negotiation before an offer. Increments, bonus structure and appraisal cycles are offer-stage conversations.
Questions already answered. It shows you were not listening. This is why you prepare four and use two.
Anything confrontational. “Why is your staff turnover so high?” may be a legitimate concern, but phrase it as “how long have most of the team been here?”
Actually listen to the answers
A prepared question you ask mechanically is worth little. The value is in the follow-up: “That’s interesting — how does the team handle that at month end?”
That is a conversation, and it is what interviewers remember.
Keep a note
Write down what you are told about the role, the team and the timeline. It helps you compare offers properly, and it is genuinely useful if you reach a second interview.
Read the full interview preparation guide, or browse current vacancies.
Key takeaways
- Having no questions reads as disinterest — prepare at least two.
- Ask about the work and the team, not primarily about benefits.
- Listen to the answers; a follow-up question shows genuine interest.
- It is fine to ask about next steps and timelines.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it bad to have no questions at the end of an interview?
It usually counts against you. Interviewers read it as low interest or poor preparation, particularly when every other candidate has asked something. Two prepared questions are enough, and you can always add "you have already covered most of what I wanted to ask" before asking them.
Can I ask about salary in the first interview?
You can ask what range the role sits in, particularly if it was not advertised, and that is a reasonable question. What is better avoided at a first meeting is a detailed negotiation about increments, bonuses and leave before the employer has decided they want you. Let them raise specifics where possible.
How many questions should I ask?
Two or three is right. One can look like a token effort; five or six turns the conversation into an interrogation and can run past the time the interviewer has allowed. Prepare four and use the ones that have not already been answered.