20+ Questions To Ask Hiring Managers (and HR) in a Job Interview

Preparing questions to ask during a job interview is a crucial step toward understanding the role, the company culture, and how you can contribute to the organization. Whether you’re speaking with a hiring manager or HR, the right questions can reveal invaluable insights about your potential future workplace.

This article covers essential questions to ask during your interview process, helping you make informed decisions and demonstrate your genuine interest in the position and company.

Questions to Ask the Hiring Manager During Job Interviews

1. How Does This Role Contribute to Larger Company Goals?

Asking this question gives you insight into the strategic importance of the position and how it aligns with the company’s objectives. It helps you understand your potential impact and where you fit into the bigger picture.

2. What Do the Most Successful New Hires Do in Their First Month Here?

This question reveals the expectations and benchmarks for early success, allowing you to gauge what specific actions or achievements are valued right from the start.

3. What Metrics Would You Use to Measure Success in This Role?

Understanding the metrics for success helps you recognize the key performance indicators (KPIs) you’ll be evaluated against, enabling you to focus your efforts strategically from day one.

4. What Are Some of the Challenges or Roadblocks I Might Come up Against in This Role?

This question helps you get a realistic view of the role’s challenges, allowing you to prepare mentally and determine if you have the necessary skills to overcome them.

5. What Is the Biggest Challenge the Team Has Faced in the Past Year?

Learning about past challenges gives you a deeper understanding of the team dynamics, resilience, and areas for development, which can aid in your decision-making process about joining the company.

6. Why Did You Decide to Work at This Company?

This personalizes the interview, allowing you to understand the hiring manager’s motivations and what they value in the company, which may mirror or differ from your own career goals.

7. What Keeps You Motivated?

This question offers insights into the company culture and what drives individuals within the organization, helping you assess if you would be a good cultural fit.

8. Do You Host Any Events With the Team Outside of Work?

Asking about team events can give you a sense of the team’s camaraderie and the company’s approach to work-life balance, important factors in your overall job satisfaction.

9. What Is Your Company’s Customer or Client Service Philosophy?

This helps you understand the company’s approach to customer service, an essential aspect that can affect its reputation and your role, particularly if you will be directly interacting with clients.

10. What Are Some of the Less Tangible Traits of Successful People on This Team?

Knowing which intangible qualities lead to success can help you evaluate if your soft skills align with those appreciated and rewarded by the team.

11. What Behaviors Do the Most Successful Members of the Team Exhibit?

This question allows you to understand the behaviors and work ethics valued in the team, guiding you on what to emulate to achieve success.

12. What Behaviors Do the People Who Struggle Most on the Team Exhibit?

Identifying behaviors that lead to struggles helps you avoid potential pitfalls and align your work style with what is deemed successful within the team.

13. How Do You Deliver Negative Feedback?

Understanding how negative feedback is delivered can help you gauge the company’s approach to performance improvement and whether it fits your preference for receiving constructive criticism.

14. Do You Have Any Questions or Concerns About My Qualifications?

This directly addresses any doubts, giving you a chance to clarify or provide additional information, potentially strengthening your candidacy.

Questions to Ask HR During Interview

1. What Do You Like Most About Working Here?

Asking HR what they personally enjoy about their role and the company culture provides valuable insight into the internal aspects that make the company unique and appealing to its employees.

2. How Has This Position Changed Over Time?

Understanding how the role has evolved offers a clearer picture of the company’s growth trajectory and how this specific position contributes to broader organizational goals and changes.

3. What Does This Team’s Role Hierarchy Look Like? How Does This Position Fit Into It?

This question helps you grasp the structural layout of the team and where your potential role fits within the organizational hierarchy, indicating room for growth and reporting structure.

4. How Does the Company Promote Diversity and Inclusion?

Learning about the company’s initiatives and policies regarding diversity and inclusion demonstrates its commitment to creating a welcoming and inclusive work environment.

5. What Are You Most Excited About in This Company’s Future?

Inquiring about what HR is looking forward to can illuminate the company’s direction, upcoming projects, or changes that make it an exciting place to work.

6. What Is Something the Company Is Still Working On Getting Right?

Every company has areas for improvement. Understanding what challenges the company faces provides a balanced view of its operations and areas where you can potentially contribute to positive changes.

7. Is There a Dress Code I Should Abide By?

Asking about the dress code clarifies expectations and helps you prepare for how to present yourself, aligning with the company’s culture right from the start.

8. Is There Anything About My Application That Makes You Doubt My Qualifications Right Now?

This question gives you the chance to address any concerns directly, providing further explanations or examples that could dispel doubts and strengthen your candidacy.

Final Thoughts

Asking thoughtful questions during a job interview not only showcases your keen interest in the role and the company but also arms you with critical information to make an informed decision about your career path. The dialogue you create through these questions can significantly influence your understanding of the company’s culture, values, and expectations. Remember, an interview is a two-way street, designed for both parties to assess if there is a mutual fit. By inquiring about the role’s impact, team dynamics, and growth opportunities, you’re taking a proactive step in evaluating how you can contribute and thrive within the organization. Moreover, these questions help build a rapport with the interviewer, potentially setting you apart from other candidates. As you navigate your career journey, let these questions guide your path to finding roles that align not only with your professional skills and goals but also with your personal values and aspirations.