The best questions to ask an interviewer are ones whose answers you actually need: what success looks like in the first 90 days, the biggest challenge the team faces, how the role is measured, why it is open, and what happens next. Prepare five or six, ask two or three, and tailor them to who is across the table.
This list was rewritten in October 2026 to be the only one you need. It has the ten best questions with why each one works, then copyable sets for each type of interviewer (recruiter, hiring manager, future teammate, executive, panel), each stage (phone screen, second round, final round, after the offer), phone and video interviews and remote roles, plus the questions to avoid, how many to ask, and what to say when your questions have already been answered.
The 10 best questions to ask an interviewer
These work in almost any interview because they get you information you cannot find online and they show you are thinking about doing the job, not just getting it.
| Question | Why it works | What to listen for |
|---|---|---|
| 1. "What would you want the person in this role to have achieved in the first 90 days?" | Turns a job description into concrete expectations and gives you something specific to connect your experience to. | A clear, specific answer means the role is well defined. Vagueness can mean the job is still being worked out. |
| 2. "How will you know, six months from now, that you hired the right person?" | Gets at how success is actually judged, which often differs from the posting. | Measurable outcomes are good. "They fit in" with no detail is worth probing. |
| 3. "What is the biggest challenge the team is facing right now?" | Shows you want to help with real problems, and tells you what your first months will be spent on. | Whether the challenge matches what you are good at, and whether they speak about it openly. |
| 4. "Is this a new role or a replacement? What changed?" | Reveals growth, restructuring or turnover. | Several people leaving the same role in a short time is a pattern worth asking about politely. |
| 5. "What does a typical week look like in this role?" | Exposes the everyday reality: meetings, travel, deadlines, the split between tasks. | How much of the week is the work you actually want to do. |
| 6. "How does the team work together day to day, and how do you handle disagreements?" | Tells you about the culture through examples rather than adjectives. | A real example. A pause followed by "we never disagree" is less reassuring than it sounds. |
| 7. "What do people who do well here have in common?" | Lets the interviewer describe the ideal candidate, which you can then address. | Traits you share, which you can mention in your closing or thank-you note. |
| 8. "How do people in this role grow? Can you give an example of someone who has?" | Asks about development in a concrete way. | A named path or a real example, not just "there are lots of opportunities". |
| 9. "Is there anything in my background that makes you hesitant about my fit for the role?" | Gives you a chance to address a concern before the decision is made. | Any doubt you can answer on the spot with a short example. Ask it calmly; it takes confidence. |
| 10. "What are the next steps, and when can I expect to hear from you?" | Clarifies the timeline so you know when to follow up. | A date. If none is given, ask when it would be appropriate to check in. |
What are the top 5 questions to ask an employer?
If you can only remember five, ask these: what success looks like in the first 90 days, what the biggest challenge facing the team is, how performance in the role is measured, what the team and manager are like to work with, and what the next steps are. Together they cover the job, the expectations, the people and the process.
If you only get time for three, keep the 90-day question, the challenge question and the next-steps question. Two of them help you decide whether you want the job; the third tells you when to follow up.
Questions to ask by interviewer type
The same question lands differently depending on who you ask. A recruiter cannot tell you much about the team's technical problems, and a CEO is the wrong person to ask about the interview schedule. Match your questions to what each person actually knows.
| Interviewer | What they know best | Ask about |
|---|---|---|
| Recruiter or HR | The process, the timeline, the salary band, benefits, the company in general | Next steps, the range, what the hiring manager values, working arrangements |
| Hiring manager | The role, the team, expectations, how success is measured | First 90 days, challenges, how they manage, how the role is judged |
| Future teammate (peer) | The day-to-day reality, tools, workload, what the manager is like to work for | A typical week, how work is shared, what they wish they had known |
| Executive or senior leader | Strategy, direction, how the team fits into the business | Priorities for the year, where the team is heading, what they need from this role |
| Panel | A mix of all of the above | One question aimed at each person's area, or one broad question for all |
Questions to ask a recruiter or HR
Recruiters screen for basic fit and manage the process. Use your questions to understand the process and the role's non-negotiables, and to confirm the pay range early so nobody wastes time.
Asking a recruiter for the salary range is normal and expected. In some places employers have to publish it anyway: New York State, for example, requires employers with four or more employees to list compensation ranges in job advertisements (New York State Department of Labor). If the range is already in the posting, ask instead how pay is set within it.
Questions to ask the hiring manager
This is the person you would report to, and the one whose questions matter most. Focus on the work, the expectations and how they manage.
Questions to ask a future teammate
Peers often give the most honest picture of the job. Keep the questions practical and about their experience.
Questions to ask an executive or senior leader
Senior leaders have limited time and think in terms of direction and results. Ask about strategy and where the role fits, and show you have read about the company's recent news or results.
Questions to ask in a panel interview
With a panel, either ask one broad question that each person can answer from their own angle, or direct one short question at each person based on their role. Use names, and make eye contact with the person you are asking.
Questions to ask by interview stage
What you ask should change as you move through the process. Early on, you are checking basic fit. Later, you are deciding whether you would accept an offer.
First interview or phone screen
Keep it to logistics, the role's purpose and the next steps. Save detailed questions about the team for later rounds.
Second interview
The second round is usually with the hiring manager or the team. Go deeper into the work, expectations and the people.
Final interview
In the final round you are deciding as much as they are. Clear up anything still unanswered, address any concerns, and ask about the decision.
After you have an offer
Once there is an offer, questions about pay, benefits and flexibility are expected, and you have the most leverage to ask them. These are the ones to hold until then if they have not come up.
Questions for phone and video interviews
Phone and video interviews are usually shorter, and it is harder to read the other person. Ask fewer questions (two is fine), keep each one short, and pause after asking so you do not talk over each other on a delay.
- Phone screen: focus on the process, the range and the role's purpose. Have your questions written down in front of you; nobody can see your notes.
- Video interview: keep your questions on a note near the camera rather than in another window, so you keep looking towards the interviewer.
- One-way video interview (recorded, no live interviewer): there is nobody to ask. Send your questions to the recruiter by email afterwards, or save them for the next round.
Questions to ask for remote and hybrid roles
For remote roles, the most important things are rarely in the posting: how the team communicates, how much overlap in working hours is expected, and how people are noticed and promoted when they are not in an office.
If you are looking specifically for remote work, our list of the best websites for remote job listings is a good place to start.
Questions for entry-level roles, internships and career changers
Questions to avoid asking an interviewer
Avoid questions you could answer by reading the company website, questions about pay or time off in the first conversation with the hiring manager, and anything that suggests you care more about leaving early than doing the work. Most "bad" questions have a better version:
| Avoid | Why | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| "What does your company do?" | Shows you have not prepared. | "I read that you launched [product]. How has that changed the team's priorities?" |
| "How much vacation do I get?" (in an early round) | Sounds like you are planning time off before you have the job. | Ask HR after an offer, or ask the recruiter about benefits in general. |
| "How soon can I be promoted?" | Sounds impatient with the job you are applying for. | "How do people in this role usually grow?" |
| "Did I get the job?" | Puts the interviewer on the spot. | "What are the next steps, and when can I expect to hear back?" |
| "Do you check social media?" | Suggests you have something to hide. | Nothing. Just check your public profiles yourself. |
| "Can I work from home whenever I want?" | Sounds like you are negotiating before an offer. | "How does the team decide on remote and in-office days?" |
| Yes/no questions ("Do you like working here?") | Easy to answer with one word. | "What do you enjoy most about working here?" |
| Personal questions about the interviewer's life | Can be uncomfortable or inappropriate. | Ask about their role and experience at the company. |
One more to avoid: having no questions at all. "No, I think you covered everything" can sound like a lack of interest, even when it is not meant that way.
How many questions should you ask an interviewer?
Ask two to four questions, and prepare five or six so you still have some left if a few are answered during the interview. In a 30-minute phone screen, two is usually enough. In a longer interview with the hiring manager, three or four is normal, and with a panel, one per person is a good guide.
Watch the clock and the interviewer. If they say "we have about five minutes left", ask your one most important question and the next-steps question. If they are clearly enjoying the conversation, a third or fourth question is welcome. Questions should feel like a short conversation, not a second interview in reverse.
What to say if all your questions have been answered
Do not just say "No, I think you covered everything." Mention one thing they explained that you found useful, then ask a follow-up about it or one of the questions that rarely gets answered during the interview itself.
Questions that rarely get answered during the interview itself, and so make good reserves: what the interviewer enjoys about the job, what would make them hesitant about your fit, and what the person in the role before you went on to do.
What is a red flag in an interview?
From your side of the table, a red flag is an answer that suggests the job, the manager or the company will be different from what you have been told. The questions above are designed to surface these early. Common ones:
| Red flag | Question that tends to reveal it |
|---|---|
| Nobody can describe what success looks like | "What would you want the person in this role to have achieved in 90 days?" |
| Several people have left the role recently | "Is this a new role or a replacement? What changed?" |
| Vague or defensive answers about the team | "How do you handle disagreements on the team?" |
| The role is much bigger than the posting | "What does a typical week look like?" |
| No clear path to growth | "Can you give an example of someone who has grown from this role?" |
| Pressure to accept quickly with no time to think | "What is the decision timeline from here?" |
| Interviewers seem unprepared or keep changing the description of the job | Compare the answers you get from different people in the process. |
One red flag rarely means you should withdraw. Several together are worth taking seriously before you accept an offer.
What are the 5 C's of interviewing?
There is no single official list. Versions of the "5 C's" differ between career guides, and most combine qualities such as competence, communication, confidence, commitment and culture fit (or compatibility). The idea is useful for preparing questions: each "C" is something you can ask about as well as show. Asking how success is measured covers competence; asking how the team communicates covers communication; asking about the team's goals for the year shows commitment; asking how disagreements are handled tells you about culture.
What are STAR questions in an interview?
STAR questions are behavioral questions such as "Tell me about a time you handled a conflict", which you answer with the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. They are questions the interviewer asks you, not ones you ask them, but they often come right before your turn to ask questions. See our guide to the STAR method and 50 behavioral interview questions for sample answers.
What are the 10 hardest interview questions?
The questions candidates find hardest are usually the open-ended ones, because there is no obvious right answer. Each needs a short, prepared structure rather than a script:
- "Tell me about yourself" (see sample answers)
- "Why should we hire you?" (see 14 sample answers)
- "What is your greatest weakness?"
- "Tell me about a time you failed."
- "Why do you want to leave your current job?"
- "Where do you see yourself in five years?"
- "What are your salary expectations?"
- "Why is there a gap in your résumé?"
- "Tell me about a conflict with a manager or coworker."
- "Do you have any questions for us?" (the one this page answers)
For the full HR round, including weakness, salary and gap questions, see our HR interview questions and answers.
How to ask your questions so they land
- Write them down and bring them. Glancing at a notebook or a sheet of paper is normal and shows you prepared.
- Ask one at a time and listen to the full answer before moving on.
- Follow up on the answer. "You mentioned the team is growing. Where would the new hires sit?" shows you were listening more than any prepared question can.
- Connect the answer to yourself, briefly. If they describe a challenge you have handled before, say so in one sentence. Do not turn it into another answer.
- Note the answers. They are the best material for your thank-you note: "I enjoyed hearing about the 90-day plan for the onboarding project" is far stronger than a generic thank you.
After the interview, send a short thank-you email within a day; our guide to thank-you email mistakes covers what to put in it. If you are interviewing with several companies at once, the free OwlApply job tracker keeps every application and its stage in one place.
Practise the end of the interview, not just the start
Most people prepare their answers and leave their questions until the last minute, then read them off a list in a flat voice. Saying them out loud a few times makes them sound like your own.
The OwlApply AI mock interview is a spoken interview through your microphone, in any of 42 languages, in four types: HR, behavioral, technical and hiring manager. You can add your résumé and the job posting so the interview matches the role. As the session closes, the interviewer asks whether you have any questions for it, the way a real round ends, so you can practise asking yours aloud; in the hiring manager type, your questions are one of the topics it expects to cover. It does not coach you during the session. Afterwards, a report built from the full transcript scores each of your answers from 0 to 100 and suggests a stronger version written from your own experience.
If you have never done an interview on OwlApply, your first short session (about three minutes) costs nothing. Ten-minute sessions are part of the Pro plan: you can try Pro for 7 days for $2.95, which includes two sessions, then $17.49 a month unless you cancel.
Rehearse the whole interview, including your questions
Run a spoken mock interview for your target role. It ends the way real interviews do, by asking whether you have questions, and your report scores every answer afterwards.
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