Top 5 Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview

How would you describe the current company culture?
This question can clue you into the company’s values and how well you would fit into the company overall. Working for a company with a work style you don’t gel well with can be detrimental to your overall career development.

Recruiters also handle employee-to-executive communication, so you can also learn a lot about how senior staff manages the rest of the team. If a company prioritizes employee satisfaction and a good work-life balance, then the recruiter will often tell you that directly.

What does a typical day look like for this role?
This question lets you know more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this new job. The hiring manager might even discuss tasks and duties that weren’t listed in the job description or on the company website.
You might even learn a bit about the previous person who worked in your position and how they carried out their daily responsibilities. This can prove to be especially valuable information should you be hired for the position later on.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face while working for this company?
The hiring manager’s personal experience can say a lot about what working for a company is really like. You can learn about the real pros and cons of a company from someone on the inside. It can also establish a sense of camaraderie between you and the interviewer, which in turn can make you seem more personable.

What career development opportunities does this role offer?
Your professional development can be just as important as landing a job. The company should offer a clear promotion path to follow and having at least an outline of what that looks like is always helpful. This question also shows that you are interested in staying with this company for a long time.

Can you tell me more about what you think a successful candidate looks like?
Most job seekers don’t want to come off as too cocky in a job interview, so they tend not to ask how they can be the most successful candidate. However, knowing the answer to this question not only can better shape your application, but also it gives you the opportunity to build off the hiring manager’s response.
For instance, you might delve into a work-related anecdote that relates to a specific skill set the hiring manager mentions to further prove that you are the best candidate for the job.