The Best Questions to Ask the Interviewer in a Job Interview

Paul Petrone

Breaking through the noise with relevant, insights-based content.

July 30, 2018

We all know that part in the job interview where the interviewer stops asking questions themselves and wonders aloud if you, the interviewee, have any questions yourself. It’s usually said casually, but let’s be real – here’s where you can set yourself apart.

So, what questions should you, as the interviewee, ask the job interviewer?

Career expert Aimee Bateman said you should ideally ask the job interviewer two-to-three questions – the worst thing you can do is ask no questions at all. And, in her LinkedIn Learning course Interview Master Class, she even listed out some of the best questions to ask.

Instructor Aimee Bateman lists the best – and worst – questions to ask the job interviewer in the job interview.

The Best Questions to Ask the Job Interviewer in a Job Interview

While Bateman suggested only asking two-to-three questions in your interview, she gave more to chose from in her course. They include:

1. What challenges will your company face over the next three-to-five years?

Important – it isn’t enough just to ask this question. Do your research ahead of time and have a solution ready.

Then, when you ask it, solve it with the person together. This will make the person start thinking of you in the job – which is a very good thing.

“What that does is that positions you in the role in their minds,” Bateman said. “In that moment, you are in their business for the next three-to-five years. It's a very, very, very good question.”

2. If I were to start this job tomorrow, what is the first thing I could do to really add value?

“This shows that you're eager,” Bateman said. “It invites them to start talking about the role in more detail, and you can come up with your solutions. And again, they're positioning you in the role, adding value, almost immediately.”

Plus, it gives you more insight about the job and the organization's culture.

3. Give a summary of what you believe the job is and ask if you missed anything.

First off, this gives you a good idea of what the job really entails, so you can make sure it’s the right fit for you. If you are going to ask this question, though, do research ahead of time. Make sure you have a good idea of what the role is before summarizing it.

“It shows that you really understand the role and the impact that role has on the other areas of the business,” Bateman said. “It gives them the opportunity to talk about the role in more detail, and for you to express what areas you know you could have real impact with.”

4. Why do you love to work here?

Here’s the reality – people tend to hire people they like. And, along with finding a common interest you share with the person, one of the best ways to have someone like you is to really listen to them.

So, ask this question at the end of the interview and really listen to their answer. Yes, it’ll give you insight about the organization. But also, if you really listen, you’ll make the job interviewer feel good, as they’ll feel heard and validated.

And making the job interviewer feel good is a great way to end an interview.

Want to shine in your next job interview? Watch Aimee Bateman’s course, Interview Master Class.

Other topics in her LinkedIn Learning course include: