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Playbooks · 5 min read
Smart Questions to Ask Your Interviewer (by Round)
'Any questions for us?' is part of the evaluation. Treat it like one.
When an interviewer asks 'do you have any questions for us', they are still evaluating you. 'No, I think you covered everything' is a missed opportunity. Good questions signal that you're thoughtful, genuinely interested, and evaluating the role seriously — which, counterintuitively, makes you more attractive. Tailor your questions to who is in front of you.
For the hiring manager
- •What does success look like in this role in the first 6 to 12 months?
- •What are the biggest challenges the person in this role will face?
- •How do you like to work with your team, and how is performance measured?
- •Why is this role open — is it new, or a backfill?
For future peers
- •What's the team's biggest strength, and where is it still figuring things out?
- •What do you wish you'd known before you joined?
- •How does the team handle disagreement or a tough technical decision?
- •What's a typical week actually like?
For skip-level or leadership
- •Where do you see the team or product in two to three years?
- •How does this team's work connect to the company's priorities?
- •What kind of person thrives here — and who doesn't?
For HR / recruiter
- •What are the next steps and the timeline?
- •How would you describe the company culture in practice, not on the careers page?
- •How does the company support growth and development?
💡 Avoid questions whose answers are on the homepage. And avoid leading with salary or time off in an early round — save logistics for HR.
Rehearse the whole round
Practice the full arc, including your closing questions, in a mock interview.
Rehearse the whole round →