6 Questions You Can Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview

Imagine for a minute….

You’re at the end of the interview for a job you desperately want.  The Hiring Manager asks, “Do you have any questions?”

After a couple seconds of silence, you freeze and say, “Nope, you explained everything perfectly.”

Does this sound like something that’s happened to you?  If it has, don’t worry, it’s happened to the best of us.

The good news is, in this article, you’re going to get the best questions you can ask the Hiring Manager during an interview.

**A tip before we get into the questions, the more you can make these sound conversational and not rehearsed and premeditated, the better.

Questions You Can Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview

Question #1 To Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview: What does A Typical Day Look Like in This Role

Why It’s a Great Question:

This question gets the Hiring Manager to give you a peek at what they expect the person they hire to be doing all day.  Maybe they tell you that you’re on the phone all day or you have to answer 100 emails by lunch time.  Whatever they tell you, listen closely to this one because it’ll give you a great idea of what to expect.

Why You Should Ask It:

You should ask this question because it’s a good conversation starter and a lead to other questions along the way.

Warning:

There is a chance that the Hiring Manager could answer this question during the interview, so PAY ATTENTION.  If you ask this question at the end of the interview after the Hiring Manager has already talked about it, good luck to you in getting hired.

Question #1 To Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview: How Do You Measure Success

Why It’s a Great Question:

This question will tell you a couple things about the person you’re going to be working for:

-          Do they actually measure success?

-          Do they measure performance?

If the company or team doesn’t do either one of those things, you might want to re-think how much you want this job.

Why You Should Ask It:

This question is just as much about you impressing the Hiring Manager as it is the Hiring Manager impressing you with their answer.  Pay close attention to how they answer the question because if you get the job, you’ll be the one who’s being evaluated.

Warning:

Be prepared for the Hiring Manager to flip this question back to you.  They can ask something like “How would you measure success” or “Why are you interested”.

Think about the answers you want to give before you ask this question, so you aren’t caught off guard.

Question #3 To Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview: Can You Share More About the Team I'll Be Working With?

Why It's a Great Question:

Shake off the interview monotony and shift gears. This question injects some personality into the conversation. It's not just about trying to figure out your job duties; it’s also a behind the scenes look at the team dynamics.

Why You Should Ask It:

You’re not here to simply clock in and out; you’re looking to find a team that you’ll mesh with. This question shows you're not just eyeing the paycheck; you're scouting for your work tribe. It's a clever way to gauge if you're stepping into a sitcom or a serious drama.

Warning:

Don’t fall into the trap of telling the Hiring Manager the type of people you like to work with.  Remember, when it’s your time to ask the questions, do a lot of listening and less talking.

Question #4 To Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview: Can You Describe the Company Culture?

Why It's a Great Question:

This question will get the Hiring Manager to once again talk about themselves and their team and company.  You could find out important information on how the company treats their employees.  Do they have Pizza Fridays, Bowling Outings, Trivia Nights, etc.?  This will give you insight as to what you can expect when you get hired.

Why You Should Ask It:

This question signals that you're after more than just a job; you're hunting for a workplace romance. It's your way of saying, "I want to love where I work, not just tolerate it."

Warning:

Skip the therapy session where you unload past cultural grievances. Keep it snappy, and remember, this isn't the time to play office critic. Keep it light and steer clear of asking if "collaborative" means "endless meetings."

Question #5 To Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview: Can You Talk About Some of The Challenges Your Team Is Facing?

Why It's a Great Question:

By asking this question, you’ll get to hear about issues that are affecting the team you’re about to join.  The silver lining here is, if the problems sound too difficult to handle or something you aren’t ready for, you can decide not to take the job if offered.

***Pro Tip*** If some of these challenges are something you’ve handled in the past and have an answer to, now would be a great time to offer that solution.

Why You Should Ask It:

Understanding the team's challenges isn't just about showing empathy; it's a strategic move to assess if you're ready for the ride. This question says, "I'm not just here for the easy wins; I'm ready for the rollercoaster." It's your chance to show you're not just a fair-weather team player.

Warning:

Avoid turning this into a therapy session or a brag fest about conquering all odds. Keep it casual and aim for an “I'm up for the challenge" vibe. No need to wear a superhero cape; let them discover your powers on the job.

Question #6 To Ask a Hiring Manager During an Interview: Can You Talk About Some of The Projects Your Team Is Working On?

Why It's a Great Question:

Enough with the vanilla "tell me about the job responsibilities." This question helps you get more into the specifics about what you’ll be doing.  It also shows you’re interested in learning about the nitty gritty details of the role.

Why You Should Ask It:

Details about ongoing projects aren't just for impressing your inner nerd; they're vital to prove you're not here for a mundane 9-to-5. This question says, "I'm not just here for a paycheck; I'm here to contribute to the team's success story."

Warning:

No need to unleash a jargon avalanche. Keep it engaging, and if they throw around big words like "synergy," nod wisely without Googling the definition mid-interview. Remember, you're here to show enthusiasm, not demonstrate your vocabulary.

More Questions For Hiring Managers

-Make Sure to Ask About Next Steps in the Process: Don’t leave the interview not knowing the next steps.  You should have an idea when they’re going to give you a call back, if you would need to have additional interviews, and when they are looking to hire someone.

-Find Out the Timeline of The Interview Process: You should find out if you’re the first person being interviewed, the last person being interviewed, or somewhere in between.  This is important to know because it’ll help you get a better feel for the timeline.  If they’re just starting interviews, it may be a few weeks before they actually make their decision.  If you’re the last one to be interviewed, the hire could be coming any day.

A Few Job interview Tips:

The more you can make your questions sound conversational and not rehearsed, the better off you’ll be.  The Hiring Manager doesn’t want to feel like he or she is at a press conference getting peppered with questions by reporters.

If you plan on using the questions in the article, I’d recommend only using 2 to 3 at most.  If your interview is going well, you may not have much time at the end of the interview to ask questions.  You should have hopefully gotten answers or brought them up in an organic way during the interview.

What To Do Now:

Role Play: Find a friend or family member to help you practice for your interview.  Have them answer the questions you ask and see if other questions come up organically.

If you need help from a professional, your friends and coaches at Your Career Strategy are available and can set aside time for a FREE call to get you started.