Questions to Ask at the End of an Interview

At the end of an interview, your interviewer will likely give you time to ask final questions. This moment offers an excellent opportunity to clarify your understanding of the role and the company and familiarise yourself with the next steps of the recruitment process.

If you’ve prepared questions in advance about the position you’re applying for, company culture, and employee experience, ask those throughout the interview as the conversation develops. 

Then, as the interview draws to a close, ask a few more concluding questions, with the goals of feeling confident about your performance, making an empowered career decision, and demonstrating your interest in the company.  

6 end-of-interview questions

Reflect on these questions in advance of your interview so that they become familiar to you. That way, you can smoothly transition from the main part of the interview to its conclusion whilst gathering valuable information. 

1. From what we’ve discussed, what would inspire you to hire me? 

This question can set a positive tone for the final moments of the interview and encourage your interviewer to imagine what it would be like to have you on the team. 

Listen carefully to the interviewer’s answer. How well do they understand you as a candidate? Time permitting, is there anything in your interviewer’s answer that you can address on the spot? After the interview, how might you write a follow-up email that refers to details in the interviewer’s answers to this question?

Try these phrasing alternatives:

*Which of my qualifications best suits me for this position? 

*Based on what we’ve discussed, what do you see as my main contribution to this company?

2. Based on our discussion, how do I compare to the ideal candidate or others applying for this position?

By asking this question, you can communicate to the interviewer that you’re interested in rising to the challenges and requirements of this position. Asking this question can also show the interviewer that you are mindful of the hiring process, which typically involves considering multiple candidates and would like to rank at the top. 

Listen carefully to the interviewer’s answer for opportunities to address the following:

• How are they evaluating your suitability for the position? 

• What follow-up questions can you ask regarding additional skills training available to employees? 

• How can you express your commitment to performing well in the position? 

• What ideas can you share about contributing to the company’s mission?

3. What is the most rewarding aspect of working for this company?

By asking this question, you can demonstrate your prioritisation of leading a fulfilling professional life. 

Alternatives or follow-ups to this question include: 

• What are the primary rewards and challenges I can expect in this role?

• What has been your proudest moment whilst working here? 

• How would you describe this company’s culture? 

• How will working for this company help me positively impact the world? 

• What’s the typical career path for someone in this role?

4. What information can I offer that would clear up any hesitations?

Asking this question can help you achieve several things. First, it puts the onus on the interviewer to disclose any negative aspects of their evaluation of you. Second, it shows that you are willing to receive uncomfortable information about where you stand, learn from it, and take action to qualify for a position.

Listen carefully to the interviewer’s answer. What additional details about your employment history, prior experience, and current capabilities can you share? What examples of previous work could you provide? What job-related assignment could you complete and submit to show your potential? 

5. Is there anyone else I should meet before you make your decision? 

Asking this question shows your interest in the company and the team you’d be working with, as well as your willingness to consider multiple touchpoints as you make your career decision. 

It can also give current employees the chance to share their impression of you with the interviewer and other decision-makers.

6. What are the next steps in the recruitment process?

This is a great question for learning what to expect in the days or weeks to come so that you can walk away from the interview with some peace of mind. 

For example, you might discover that you must undergo additional rounds of interviewing, from a panel interview with multiple decision-makers to a case interview in which you propose solutions to hypothetical business challenges. 

Be sure to find out when the best day to ask about updates is. By inquiring about this, you can communicate that you are eager about the position and willing to consider the interviewer’s schedule. 

Tips for asking questions in an interview 

Now that you have examples of good questions to ask at the end of an interview, use these tips to optimise your experience:

• Throughout the interview, ask questions about the position, company, and employee experience, and spend the remaining minutes specifically on the end-of-interview questions.

• Reflect on all the end-of-interview questions listed above, but ask a maximum of three during the interview itself. Prioritise the ones that will offer crucial information for deciding if a company is a good fit for your career goals.

• Listen for cues in the conversation as to which questions to ask and how to phrase them. For example, if the recruitment process involves multiple interviews and other assessments, asking for full details about this process would be a priority. 

Getting started with Coursera

Towards the end of most interviews, you'll likely have an opportunity to ask questions. It's vital to have at least two or three questions ready that demonstrate your interest and indicate your thorough research on the company. To further enhance your interview prep, consider enroling in the Lesson | Get Ready for the Interview course, available on Coursera. Offered by the Georgia Institute of Technology, this course focuses on appropriate body language for job interviews alongside other valuable interview strategies.