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Management Questions

Questions to Discuss with your Manager

  1. What would you hope I achieve between now and the next time we meet?
  2. How would you like to receive updates on my work?
  3. What would you like me to keep you updated on and how often?
  4. If I do have any capacity, is there any person, team or area that would benefit from me as a extra resource?
  5. How do you see my role evolving over the next year?
  6. Is there a skill that I could develop that could help both me and the team?
  7. What are your expectations of me in this role?
  8. Are there any books or podcasts you would recommend for me?
  9. Do you have any advice that you could give me for this role?
  10. Is there anything else I could be doing to positively impact the team?

38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview

This section contains my summary of the article "38 Smart Questions to Ask in a Job Interview" written by Amy Gallo and published in the Harvard Business Review on May 19, 2022.

Once the interview comes to an end, you are offered to ask the interviewing party some questions. This can be a critical point where you can shine with curiosity and some well-thought through questions.

How to Approach This Part of the Interview

The question section of an interview is still part of the interview and you want to provide further evidence that you're the right person for the position. For this reason, you can layer in a sentence or two highlighting why you are a good fit by using a sentence like "I do have a few questions but before I ask, can I say one thing?". Use this opportunity to convey any points that you have not been able to sell during the interview so far. After this, you can transition to your questions.

Personalize your Questions

Don't ask generic questions. Instead, ask questions that are tailored to your role at the company. For example, you could ask how a typical day in this position will look like. This forces the hiring managers to envision you acting in the role, which can be a psychological trick because they might cling to this vision.

Build off of your Conversation

It is always a good idea to ask follow up questions on discussions you had during the interview process. For example more detailed information about a project you might work on or specific responsibilities of the role.

Questions about the specific job:

  1. What are your expectations for me in this role?
  2. What's the most important thing I should accomplish in the first 90 days?
  3. What's the performance review process like here? How often would I be formally reviewed?
  4. What metrics or goals will my performance be evaluated against?
  5. What are the most immediate projects that I would take on?
  6. How long before I will be [meeting clients, have responsibility for my own accounts, interacting with other departments, etc.]?

Questions about the team:

  1. What types of skills is the team missing that you're looking to fill with a new hire?
  2. What are the biggest challenges that I might face in this position?
  3. Do you expect my main responsibilities in this project to change in the next six months to a year?
  4. Can you tell me about the team I'll be working with?
  5. Who will I work with most closely? What other departments or units will I interact with?
  6. Can you tell me about my direct reports? What are their strengths and the team's biggest challenges?

Questions for your potential boss:

If the interview is you boss, you can ask questions like these:

  1. How long have you been at the company?
  2. How long have you been a manager?
  3. What's you favorite part of working here?

Questions about the Company:

Don't ask things that you can easily fins with a Google search.

  1. What are the current goals that the company is focused on, and how does this team work to support hitting those goals?
  2. What gets you most excited about the company's future.
  3. How would you describe the company's values?
  4. How has the company changed over the last few years?
  5. What are the company's plans for growth and development?

Questions about the Culture:

Questions about the culture are bit tricky because you usually are not being told if it is unwelcoming. Some questions can help you uncover any unexpected elements that might be clues to the culture.

  1. How do you typically onboard employees? If the position is remote, ask specifically about how remote employees are integrated into the company culture.
  2. What do new employees typically find surprising after they start?
  3. Is there anything that I should read before starting that would help me have shared understanding with my colleagues? Asking this question not only signals your interest in the position but also shows that you're eager to have shared cultural references with the people you'll be working with.
  4. What's your favorite office tradition?
  5. What do you and the team usually do for lunch?
  6. Do you ever do joint events with other departments or teams?
  7. What's different about working here than anywhere else you've worked?
  8. How has the company changed since you joined?

Questions about professional development, career paths, and future opportunities:

Understanding what growth and career development will look like in the job is important. Questions in this area can help you understand if the company is a good fit for your long-term goals.

  1. What learning and development opportunities will I have in this role?
  2. How does the team I'll be part of continue to grow professionally?
  3. Are there examples of a career path beginning with this position?
  4. What are the common career paths in this department?
  5. How are promotions typically handled?
  6. Where have successful employees moved on to?

Closing questions:

  1. What am I not asking you that I should?
  2. Is there anything else I can provide you with that would be helpful?
  3. Is there anything I can clarify for you about my qualifications?
  4. What are the next steps in the hiring process?