Quick Answer
TL;DR: Yes, but be thoughtful about it.
The Longer Answer
One of the most common questions candidates have is: Should I ask questions at the end of the interview? And will it affect my chances of getting hired?
Many online guides suggest asking clever or challenging questions to impress the interviewer. While that can help sometimes, the truth is that most companies don’t treat this part of the interview as part of the official evaluation. Instead, they see it as a chance for you to learn more about the company, its product, and how things work.
If you copy questions from the internet, you risk sounding like every other candidate. Many people use the same study guides and ask the same questions, which doesn’t help you stand out and often fails to give useful information about the interview process or the company’s day-to-day life.
As a potential new employee, this is your time to learn about what life is really like in the company. You might spend years there - working across teams, following processes, and sometimes coordinating across different time zones. Use this time wisely.
The best approach is to prepare a list of questions that matter to you personally. Think about what could be a deal breaker. We all have different needs based on where we live, how we commute, and how we prefer to work. Use your own experience and judgment to decide what’s important.
Here are a few examples of useful topics you might ask about:
- Work setup and flexibility to work from home
- Core working hours
- Career growth and promotion opportunities
- Team changes through internal mobility
- Salary reviews and bonus structures
- Day-to-day processes and tools
Make sure to direct your questions to the appropriate members of the interview panel. For example, your potential teammates can tell you about daily work, tools, and team culture. A hiring manager can answer questions about performance reviews, growth opportunities, or how bonuses work.
Finally, be yourself. Focus on what really matters to you when joining a company. Asking the right questions not only helps you decide if the company is a good fit - it also shows your interest in the company’s day-to-day life and your future career development.
Best of luck with the interviews!