Best Questions to Ask the Interviewer

By Aaron Cao · Updated 2026-06-29

Ask questions that show genuine interest and judgment: what success looks like in the role, the team's biggest challenge, why the position is open, and what the interviewer enjoys about working there. Prepare three to five, and avoid questions answered on the careers page.

Why this question matters

Near the end, almost every interviewer asks whether you have any questions. Saying no reads as disinterest, and it wastes your best chance to show you have thought seriously about the role. Good questions are part of the evaluation, not an afterthought.

They also help you decide if the job is right for you, which is the point of interviewing both ways. Prepare them alongside your answers when you practice, as covered in the mock interview guides.

Strong questions to ask

The best questions are specific and show you are picturing yourself doing the job.

What does success look like in this role in the first six to twelve months?
What is the biggest challenge the team is facing right now?
Why is this position open, and what happened to the last person in it?
How would you describe the team's working style and how decisions get made?
What do you personally enjoy about working here?

Pick the ones that fit the conversation rather than reading all five mechanically.

Questions to avoid, and timing

Skip anything you could answer yourself in two minutes on the company website, since it signals you did not prepare. Avoid leading with salary, benefits, time off, or how soon you can be promoted in an early-round interview; those are fair questions, but raising them first makes you look focused on the package rather than the work. Save them for HR or a later stage.

Steer clear of questions that hint you did not listen during the interview, too. Asking something already covered is worse than not asking it.

Prepare and adapt them live

Bring three to five prepared questions, but stay ready to adapt: the strongest questions often come from something the interviewer said, which shows you were genuinely engaged. Jotting a note mid-interview to ask about later is a good sign, not a rude one.

An AI tool can help you brainstorm sharp, role-specific questions while you prepare; SubcueAI is built around honest preparation. Rehearsing the full close, including your questions, in a mock interview makes the ending feel natural instead of an awkward afterthought.

FAQ

How many questions should I ask the interviewer?

Prepare three to five and ask the two or three that best fit the conversation. Having none looks disengaged; reading a long list mechanically is almost as bad.

What are good questions to ask at the end of an interview?

Ask what success looks like in the role, the team's biggest current challenge, why the position is open, and what the interviewer enjoys about working there.

Should I ask about salary in the interview?

Not in an early round as your first question. Salary and benefits are fair topics, but raise them with HR or at a later stage so you lead with interest in the work.

What questions should I avoid asking?

Avoid anything answered on the careers page or job post, and anything that reveals you were not listening during the interview. Both signal a lack of preparation or attention.