The best questions to ask at the end of an interview are two or three specific ones, built on what the interviewer told you, that help you judge the job and show you listened. This guide gives you a four-step method, a ready list of questions by topic, which ones suit a recruiter, a hiring manager or a future teammate, what to ask when everything has already been answered, and what to leave out.
In brief:
- Prepare five to eight questions, then ask only two or three.
- Build them on what the interviewer said, not on a script.
- Choose open questions about the role, the team and the next steps.
- Leave salary, holidays and benefits for later.
- Close with the next steps and a short thank-you.
In this article · 12 min read
- Why the interviewer asks "Do you have any questions for us?"
- The four-step method: listen, choose, ask, close
- Questions to ask at the end of an interview, by topic
- Which questions fit which person
- What to ask when everything has already been answered
- Questions to avoid, and what to ask instead
- Your last 60 seconds: a short closing script
- A ten-minute preparation routine
- What our book by Mateo Nevarez adds
- When to ask for help
- Who it is for
- Key terms
- Frequently asked questions
- Sources
Why the interviewer asks "Do you have any questions for us?"
It is rarely a formality. Coursera describes the final questions as a way to feel confident about how the interview went, to make an informed career decision and to show interest in the company (Coursera). In other words, the moment works in both directions: the employer sees how you think, and you collect what you need to decide whether you want the job.
That is why a quick "No, I think you covered everything" is a missed chance. Flexa's career guide puts it plainly: the closing moment is an opportunity, and the advice is not to simply thank the interviewer and walk away (Flexa). You do not need clever questions. You need honest ones that connect to the job in front of you.
Harvard Business Review's short video guide on the questions to ask in a job interview makes the same point: the end of the interview is both a chance to keep making your case and a chance to find out whether the job is right for you.
38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview (Harvard Business Review)
The four-step method: listen, choose, ask, close
- Listen. During the whole conversation, note anything you would like to know more about: a project, a change in the team, a skill the interviewer stressed. Coursera suggests listening for cues about which questions to ask and how to phrase them.
- Choose. Pick two or three questions from your list. Coursera mentions asking around two to three questions at the end, and Enhancv's list is long precisely so that you can select a few that fit.
- Ask. Link each question to something you heard ("You mentioned the team is growing. How will…"). Keep it open, so the answer is more than yes or no.
- Close. Finish with the next steps and a thank-you. Robert Half's career advisers recommend asking about the next steps and taking a moment to thank the interviewer (Robert Half).
The order matters. It is tempting to jump straight to step three with a memorized list and skip the listening. The listening is what makes a question sound like yours.
Questions to ask at the end of an interview, by topic
Use these as a starting point and reword them in your own voice. The right column explains what each one helps you learn, which is the real reason to ask.
| Topic | Question | What you learn |
|---|---|---|
| The role | What would a typical week in this role look like? | The real tasks, beyond the job posting |
| Success | How is success measured in this role, and what would you like to see in the first 30 to 60 days? | The expectations you would be judged on |
| The team | How is the team organized, and who would I work with most closely? | Who your colleagues and manager are |
| Challenges | What is the biggest challenge the person in this role will face? | Where you can be useful, and what to prepare for |
| Growth | What does a typical career path look like for someone in this position? | Whether there is room to learn and move |
| Culture | What do you personally like most about working here? | A human answer instead of a slogan |
| Your fit | Is there anything about my background I could clarify to help your decision? | Doubts you can still address |
| Next steps | What are the next steps, and when can I expect to hear from you? | The timeline, so you can plan |
Enhancv's list includes several of these: how success is measured, the typical career path, the first 30 to 60 days and the next steps, and it suggests closing with an offer to give more details and a question about what happens next (Enhancv). Coursera adds a question about anyone else you should meet before a decision is made.
One caution: guides do not agree on questions about how you compared with other candidates. Coursera lists it as an option, while Enhancv advises against asking how well you did, since you will hear from the company anyway. A gentler version is the "my background" question above.
Which questions fit which person
The same question lands differently depending on who is across the table. A recruiter often knows the process, the timeline and the basics of the role. The hiring manager knows the real work and the expectations. A future teammate knows the daily life. Matching the question to the person is something most lists skip, and it makes your questions sound far more informed.
| You are talking to | Ask about | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A recruiter or human resources (HR) contact | The process, the timeline, the company | "How many stages are left, and how long does each usually take?" |
| The hiring manager | Expectations, priorities, how they lead | "What would you want the person in this role to achieve first?" |
| A future teammate | Daily life, collaboration, onboarding | "How does the team work together day to day, and how are newcomers supported?" |
| Someone senior, in a final round | Direction, strategy, growth | "Where do you see this team in a year, and what matters most to get there?" |
If you are not sure, a safe choice is a process question for a recruiter and a priorities question for anyone who would be your manager.
Questions about the team and the manager deserve a place on your list, because the same job can feel very different from one workplace to another. Gallup's State of the Global Workplace report measures engagement, meaning how involved and enthusiastic people are about their work. Only 20% of employees worldwide were engaged in 2025: 22% of managers and 19% of other employees. In the organizations Gallup counts as best practice, 79% of managers were engaged (Gallup).
What to ask when everything has already been answered
This is the situation people fear: the interviewer covered your whole list. Do not repeat a question that was already answered, and do not invent one to fill the silence. Try one of these instead:
- Go deeper. "You mentioned the quarterly goals. Can you give me an example of a goal the team reached recently?"
- Ask for a story. "What is a project this team is proud of, and what made it work?"
- Ask about the person. "What did you enjoy most when you started here?"
- Ask about a detail you noticed. "I read that the company is opening a new service. How would this role connect to it?" (This only works if you really read it.)
- Ask about the process. "Is there anything else you need from me, such as samples or references?"
A simple rule of thumb: a thoughtful follow-up to something the interviewer said usually sounds better than a fresh, unrelated question.
Questions to avoid, and what to ask instead
Enhancv lists three topics to avoid: money and benefits, when you can take your first holiday and how well you did in the interview. Its suggestion is to raise pay and benefits with HR or wait for an offer. The reason is timing, not secrecy: these matters belong to the offer stage, when you also have more room to negotiate.
| Better to avoid | Why | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| "How much does it pay?" | Too early, it can look like the only interest | "What is the next step, and when will the offer terms be discussed?" |
| "How many days off do I get?" | Suggests you are thinking about time away already | "What does a good work-life balance look like on this team?" |
| "What does your company do?" | The answer is on its website | A question that builds on something you read there |
| "Did I get the job?" | Puts the interviewer on the spot | "Is there anything I could clarify to help your decision?" |
| "Do I have to work late?" | Sounds like a rule-hunt | "How does the team handle busy periods?" |
| A very personal question | Stays off the topic of the job | A question about the work they find interesting |
Mateo Nevarez's view
In Lenguaje Corporal, Comunicación Persuasiva y Retórica, available in Spanish, Mateo Nevarez treats the job interview as one of ten everyday situations, and his advice fits the closing minutes well. Keep salary questions until the company makes you an offer, research the company beforehand, and put your soft skills forward: adaptability, teamwork, handling stress. If a weakness comes up, he suggests naming a technical skill you can still learn, such as a piece of software you do not master yet, rather than a character flaw. He also recommends keeping both hands on the table, so that your gestures follow your words while you ask and listen.
Your last 60 seconds: a short closing script
How you end counts as much as what you ask. You can adapt this outline:
- Ask your two or three questions and listen fully to each answer, without checking the clock.
- Summarize in one sentence: "From what you have said, I understand the priority is X. That fits my experience in Y."
- Ask about the next steps and the timing: "What is the next step, and when can I expect to hear from you?"
- Thank the interviewer, and everyone else who joined, for their time. If you are in person, a calm handshake and a relaxed smile finish the interview well.
- Send a short thank-you email the same day. Robert Half's advisers note that writing it ahead of time lets you send it as soon as the meeting is over.
A ten-minute preparation routine
- Read the job posting and underline three things you want to understand better.
- Write five to eight questions: two about the role, two about the team, one about growth, one about the next steps, and one about your fit.
- Cross out anything the company's website already answers.
- Mark the two or three you care about most.
- Rewrite them in your own words, as you would say them, and say them out loud once.
- Keep the list on a small notepad. Asking politely whether you may take notes is fine and shows interest.
- In the interview, update the list: drop answered questions and add any that came up.
What our book by Mateo Nevarez adds
Our communication book is written in Spanish: Lenguaje Corporal, Comunicación Persuasiva y Retórica, by Mateo Nevarez. There is no English edition, so it is a fit only if you read Spanish. In French and German we publish other books on similar topics, by different authors.
Besides the interview advice above, it suggests a medium-firm handshake and a neutral outfit that fits the company culture. Other chapters cover active listening, which is the skill behind a question that builds on what was said, and making a good first impression. Many chapters end with exercises.
It is not a specialist guide to interview questions and it does not give a list of questions to memorize. It helps with the general skills around them: listening, speaking clearly and leaving a good impression. A Spanish audiobook is also available. Books Go Publications has published more than 50 books in English, French, German and Spanish, sold on Amazon in print and Kindle editions and, for some titles, on Audible.
For more guides, browse the Books Go Publications blog or visit the Books Go Publications home page. Next in the interview, you may want to read Tell Me About Yourself Examples and What Is Your Greatest Weakness?, and for the listening side, Active Listening.
When to ask for help
If fear of interviews stops you from applying, makes your mind go blank every time or turns into strong anxiety, talk to a career counselor, a doctor or a psychologist. Support can help you move forward at your own pace. Our book does not cover clinical problems such as social anxiety. If you need someone to talk to now, the international directory findahelpline.com lists support lines.
Who it is for
This method works for anyone who wants the last minutes of an interview to count.
- Graduates and first-time applicants: use the ready list and the ten-minute routine, because a prepared question removes the fear of a blank at the end.
- Career changers: ask about the first 60 days and how success is measured, which shows you have thought about the move and helps you judge whether it suits you.
- Experienced professionals in a final round: match the question to the person, such as strategy for a senior leader, to show judgment and learn about the team you would join.
- Candidates who get nervous: keep the list on a notepad and rely on the closing script, so the end of the interview feels planned rather than improvised.
Key terms
- Hiring manager: the person who would be your manager and who usually decides on the role.
- Recruiter: the person who organizes the hiring process, often from human resources or an agency.
- Open question: a question that cannot be answered with yes or no and invites an explanation.
- Soft skills: personal and social abilities such as teamwork, adaptability and handling stress.
- Employee engagement: how involved and enthusiastic people are about their work and workplace.
- Offer stage: the point after the interviews when the company proposes pay and conditions.
Frequently asked questions
How many questions should I ask at the end of an interview?
Most guides suggest two or three. Coursera mentions around two to three after the interview. Prepare more, five to eight, so that you still have some left when the interviewer answers a few along the way.
Is it bad to say I have no questions?
It is usually a missed opportunity. Even if the interviewer answered most things, you can ask about the next steps, a detail you would like to understand better or what the first months look like. Saying "no" can read as low interest.
Can I ask about salary at the end of the first interview?
Enhancv advises against raising money and benefits during the interview and suggests asking HR or waiting for an offer. If the interviewer brings up pay first, you can answer and ask follow-up questions. Otherwise, a question about the next steps keeps the door open.
Should I write my questions down?
Yes. Nerves can wipe a list from memory, and having it on paper shows you prepared. In a video interview, keep it next to the screen; in person, a small notepad is fine.
What if the interviewer is a recruiter and not the future manager?
Ask about the process, the timeline and the company, and save detailed questions about daily work for the person who will manage the role. A recruiter may not know the team's challenges.
Do I need a follow-up email?
A short thank-you email the same day is a good habit. Mention one thing you discussed, thank the interviewer for their time and say you look forward to the next step.
Sources
- Gallup, “State of the Global Workplace”
- Coursera, "Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview" (updated April 2025)
- Enhancv, "14 Essential Questions to Ask at the End of Your Interview (And 3 to Avoid)" (updated June 2025)
- Flexa, "5 questions to ask at the end of the job interview" (April 2024)
- Robert Half, "9 ways to leave a lasting positive impression at the end of a job interview"
