How to Respond to "Do You Have Any Questions for Me?" (2024)

As an interview draws to a close, it's likely the interviewer will ask, "Do you have any questions for me?"

When you hear this query, you may groan inside, since it can feel like you've covered absolutely everything during the course of the interview.

Even though coming up with questions can be tricky, it's always better to respond with a question than to politely decline. Otherwise, you could leave interviewers with the impression that you're not engaged in the conversation, or that you're not interested enough in the position to jump at the opportunity to learn more.

Explore tips for how to respond to this question strategically—along with questions that are best avoided.

Key Takeaways

Arrive at interviews with a list of questions to ask at the close of the conversation—these questions can be about the company, the role, and so on.
Think of this common interviewer query as an opportunity to ask questions that show you're passionate about this role. It's also a way to demonstrate that you were engaged during the interview.
Stay away from asking questions about salary and outside-of-work activities, and avoid gossip and overly personal questions as well.

What the Interviewer Wants to Know

In some ways, there's a very straightforward reason for interviewers to ask if you have any questions: They want to give you an opportunity to get answers to questions that may help you decide if the role and company are a good fit for you.

Plus, since it's such a common close to interviews, this question allows interviewers to see if you prepared in advance.

How to Prepare for the Question

Since this question is common at the end of every type of job interview, it makes sense to plan for it in advance and be prepared. Develop alist of questions you want answered,and keep in mind your questions may change based on your interviewer.

Note

Prepare multiple questions, as many of them may be discussed during the interview. Additionally, some interviewers may allot a significant amount of time to answer your questions.

And keep in mind, as with all interview questions, this one allows you to impress. By asking a thoughtful, strong question, you can close the interview by giving theinterviewers a good impression. Plus, interviews are a two-way street, and asking questions can be a good way to determine if the company and role at hand are a good fit for you.

How to Answer "Do You Have Any Questions for Me?"

Your questions should make it clear you were engaged during the interview and have quickly gained a sense of the company's goals and priorities. You can reflect back to earlier moments in the interview or build off news within the companyor its market.

Note

Aim to always ask open-ended questions and not questions that can be answered with a yes or no.

You can also ask questions that'll help you find out more information about the company's goals and the role at hand. But, make sure to skip any questions that you could have answered with a quick online search. Those types of questions can make you seem unprepared.

Questions to Ask the Interviewer

Take a look at a few broad categories of questions that are appropriate to ask.

Questions About the Role

This is a great opportunity to learn more about what you'll do if it hasn't already been thoroughly covered in the earlier part of the interview. Questions could include:

Can you share more about the day-to-day responsibilities of this role? How would you describe the pace of a typical day?
If I were hired for this role, what would you want me to achieve in my first two months?
What mechanisms are in place for performance reviews and when would I receive my first formal evaluation?
In your opinion, what is the single most important indicator of success in this role?

Questions About the Company or Interviewer

This is a good opportunity to get a sense of company culture and how the company is performing.

How would you describe the management style of the organization?
Could you describe the typical collaboration process within the team?
What's something that makes you happy about coming to work each day?
How long have you been at the company?
Can you talk about company culture?
What is the greatest challenge facing the company?
What are the company's goals for the upcoming year?

Questions About You

You can use this moment to get a sense of how the interviewer perceived you during the interview, and if they think you're a good candidate. With these questions, you might want to preface by expressing your excitement for the role, and then (based on the feedback you get) address the issue on the spot. You can ask:

What are your concerns about my candidacy?
Are there any qualifications that you think I'm missing?

Note

After the interviewer responds, follow up to reiterate your interest in the opportunity.

What Not to Ask

It may be an open-ended question, but that doesn't mean any response goes. Stay away from questions on the following topics:

Off-work activities:It's fine to ask questions about theculture at the job, but stay away from queries that are focused on non-work activities, like happy hour outings, lunch, or vacation time. These types of questions will make you seem uninvested in actually doing the work, which isn't the right impression to leave. Similarly, don't ask how many hours you'll need to work each day.

The interviewer's personal life or office gossip:Give interviewers the same courtesy you'd want them to give to you by not inquiring about their family, living situation, or gossiping about people you may bothknow.

Things you could answer yourself:If your question could be easily answered with a quick online search or by glancing at the company website, skip it. Time-wasting questions won't be appreciated. Interviewers expect you will have doneresearch on the companyand familiarized yourself with the basics. This is especially important if you're in the advanced stages of interviewing with the firm.

Salary and benefits:If it's a first-round interview, getting specific about salary and benefits can make you seem uninterested in the work and the company, and focused only on yourself. If your interviewer does ask about salary,here are some tips on how you can respond.

Very complicated or multi-part questions:Asking multi-part questions can overwhelm interviewers. Ask just one question at a time. You can always followup. Aim to make the moment feel conversational.

Note

Don't ask too many questions. While you want to be prepared to ask at least one or two good questions, take the hint and wind down your questions when interviewers begin to shuffle paper, glance at their watch, or wake up sleeping computers.

Some questionsshouldn't be asked during interviews even if you're invited to ask questions. That includes:

Did I get the job?
How much can I expect to earn during the first year?
What do employees do for fun with colleagues after work?
Do you have children?Is this a child-friendly employer?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are good questions to ask the interviewer at the end of an interview?

Interviewers often save this query for the close of the interview. You'll want to ask questions that haven't been answered during the interview already. Stay away from "yes" or "no" questions, as well as queries that you could answer with a quick online search. Instead, try asking questions about the role. For example, you can ask about the day-to-day responsibilities. This is also an opportunity to get feedback on your candidacy. You can ask if you're missing any qualifications, for instance.

How do you end an interview?

As the interview comes to a close, look for ways to show you're a strong candidate who's very interested in the position. That opportunity may very well arrive when you're asked if you have any questions for the interviewer. You'll also want to thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet. It's very typical to shake hands, too. If it's clear the interviewer is ina hurry, don't linger too long.