What should I ask at the end of my interview?

Just because it’s your turn to ask the questions doesn’t mean that you aren’t still being interviewed. Interviewers are still gathering information about you. They’ll be looking for a few things:

• Is this person prepared?
• Do they know enough about our company to ask a relevant question?
• Do they express a genuine interest in the company and the role?
• Do they show curiosity about other people?

This part of the interview is a golden opportunity for you. Show them that you are a curious person. Demonstrate your interest in the job, the people, and the company. Prove that you know how to do research and prep for a meeting.

The fact is, interviewers are expecting you to have some questions. If you don’t ask at least one question, you run the risk of seeming unprepared or uninterested. The only reason not to ask questions is if you’ve already been able to ask them during the interview.

There’s no reason to panic when you hear, “Do you have any questions for us?” It’s not a trick question. Interviewers ask because they want to give you the information you need about the position.

You’re not the only one in the hot seat during a job interview. Yes, you need a job. That can make you feel that you’re in a less powerful position, sometimes even desperate. Let’s face it, sometimes we are desperate to land a job. Hello, rent and heating.

Keep this in mind: You still have a share of control here. The company you’re interviewing with has a need, too. They need someone smart and reliable, someone who can help them achieve their goals. They don’t want to keep interviewing. Companies want positions filled. That means if they decide they want you, they have to woo you, too. They want you to want them. Remember that you are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.

As Lori, a Fidelity talent acquisition manager, says “At the end of the day, the interview is a two-way street.”

Interviews are essentially conversations. It’s normal to ask questions during a conversation.

While it’s expected that you’ll have questions for your interviewer, some questions are better than others.

You’ll likely be able to ask only a few questions, so make sure they count. Think ahead of time about what you want to know about before you leave the interview. (Barring certain taboo questions, which we’ll get to in a minute.)

Try to have questions that address a few areas that are relevant to the job. Think about these categories:

• What day-to-day operations look like
• How you’ll be evaluated in your role
• The people who are interviewing you
• Company-wide goals and initiatives

What’s important, according to Lori, is that job seekers “put some thought into [their questions].”

Heather, a Fidelity talent acquisition partner, likes when candidates express interest in her as a person. She says, “I like for them to ask me what I like about the group or what brought me here.”

Lori says that your questions should “show that you’ve listened during the interview.”

Are there topics you should steer clear of completely? In a word, yes.

Questions that are too personal

It’s okay to ask questions about your interviewer’s role within the organization. You can ask what they find challenging about their job or what they like best. Steer clear of asking about their personal lives. Even if it seems you have a good rapport, respect the social boundaries of the interview process.

Inappropriate questions about the company

Don’t ask about office dynamics or difficult bosses. That can come across as nosy or prying.

Questions you should know the answer to

In the age of Google, there’s no reason to be in the dark about the company basics. Look at the company website and do a quick search for recent news about the organization.

Should you ask about remote work?

If you ask about day-to-day operations, it may come up naturally. If it doesn’t, you may want to hold off on this one. If the company doesn’t want to offer a remote option, asking about it can count against you. Remote work is a perk of sorts. It can be negotiated later on.

Preparing questions ahead will give you one less thing to stress about when you interview. Know that you’re being interviewed for a reason. You’ve impressed the hiring team enough that they want to talk with you. By asking thoughtful, relevant questions, you’ll make them want to keep talking to you.