40 Questions to Ask an Interviewee (and What Good Answers Sound Like)

Hiring manager asking questions to an interviewee

The best questions to ask an interviewee are open-ended, tied to the actual job, and asked the same way to every candidate. They make the candidate describe what they did, why they did it, and what happened next. That gives you evidence to compare. A general impression of the person doesn’t.

We’re technical recruiters, and we interview engineering and IT candidates every day. Below are the 40 questions we find most useful, grouped by what each one tells you. For each question we cover why to ask it, what a strong answer sounds like, and the warning signs to note. After that we explain how to score answers and list the questions you should never ask, with legal alternatives.

Quick list: 10 questions to start with

If you only have 30 minutes, these ten cover motivation, track record, problem-solving, teamwork and fit:

What attracted you to this position?
Walk me through a project you’re proud of. What was your part in it?
Tell me about a time a project didn’t go as planned. What did you do?
Describe a disagreement with a coworker and how it was resolved.
How do you decide what to work on first when everything is urgent?
What’s the last new skill you learned, and how have you used it?
How would your current manager describe you?
Why are you looking to leave your current role?
What would you want to have accomplished in your first 90 days here?
What questions do you have for me?

How to get honest answers from any question

A strong question list only works if the interview has some structure. Four habits make the biggest difference:

Ask every candidate the same core questions. Then you’re comparing answers to the same prompt, not how well each conversation happened to go.
Follow up two or three times. The first answer is usually the rehearsed one. Ask “What did you do specifically?”, “What happened next?” and “What would you do differently?” to get the real story.
Ask for examples, not opinions. “Tell me about a time you…” beats “How would you…” for judging experience, because past behavior is harder to invent on the spot.
Score each answer right after the interview. Use the simple scale further down. Scores written days later tend to reflect your overall feeling, not the evidence.

Before the interview, agree with the hiring team on the three or four things the role really needs. An ideal candidate persona helps here. Then pick the questions below that test those things.

Motivation and interest questions

These open the interview and show whether the candidate wants this job or just a job.

1. What attracted you to apply for this position?

It’s a natural icebreaker, and it quickly separates focused applicants from people who applied everywhere.

Listen for: specific details about the role, your product or your team, connected to their own experience.
Watch out for: answers that could apply to any company (“it seemed like a great opportunity”).

2. What do you know about our company?

It shows how much preparation they did, and preparation for an interview usually reflects how they prepare for work.

Listen for: they’ve looked at your products, customers or recent news and have a view on it.
Watch out for: only a line from your homepage, or nothing at all.

3. Why are you looking to leave your current role?

People leave jobs for a reason. You want to know whether your role fixes that reason or repeats it.

Listen for: a clear, forward-looking reason, such as growth, scope, technology or stability, stated without drama.
Watch out for: blaming everyone else, or a reason your own role has too (for example, leaving because of travel for a job that requires travel).

4. What motivates you to do your best work?

Motivation predicts how someone performs once the novelty wears off.

Listen for: a concrete example of a time they were highly engaged and what caused it.
Watch out for: vague answers like “I love a challenge” that they can’t back up with a story.

5. What would you want to have accomplished in your first 90 days here?

It tests whether they understand the role and can think in outcomes.

Listen for: realistic priorities: learning the systems and people first, then early wins tied to the job description.
Watch out for: big promises with no plan, or no idea what the job actually involves.

Experience and accomplishment questions

These check whether the résumé holds up when you ask about the details.

6. Walk me through a project you’re proud of. What was your part in it?

Most candidates say “we”. This question makes them separate their own contribution from the team’s.

Listen for: clear ownership (“I designed…”, “I negotiated…”), the obstacles, and a measurable result.
Watch out for: they can’t explain their own role, or the numbers change each time you follow up.

7. What has your typical role on a team been?

It shows whether they tend to lead, specialize or support, and whether that fits the gap on your team.

Listen for: an honest self-description that matches their references and work history.
Watch out for: claims of leading everything with no examples of actually leading.

8. Tell me about something you learned that isn’t obvious from your résumé.

Résumés are edited. This question finds skills, side projects or context the résumé leaves out.

Listen for: relevant skills, hobbies or experiences that tell you how they think.
Watch out for: a repeat of the résumé, or a shrug.

9. What’s the most innovative idea you’ve brought to a workplace?

It shows initiative and whether they improve things or just maintain them.

Listen for: an idea they pushed forward and got adopted, including how they got people to agree.
Watch out for: ideas that were never tried, or ideas they only complained were ignored.

10. Have you ever introduced a new process or tool that made work more efficient?

Good hires make the team around them faster.

Listen for: the problem, the change they made, and how they measured the result.
Watch out for: changes that only helped themselves, or that they forced through without asking anyone.

Behavioral questions

Behavioral questions ask for real past examples. They are the most reliable part of most interviews. For more of them, see our full list of behavioral interview questions.

11. Tell me about a time a project didn’t go as planned.

Everyone has had a project go wrong. What you want to know is whether they own it and learn from it.

Listen for: they own their part, explain what they changed afterward, and say what they’d do differently.
Watch out for: they say it’s never happened, or the failure was entirely someone else’s fault.

12. Describe a time you went above and beyond at work.

It shows initiative and what they think “extra” means.

Listen for: extra effort tied to a real business need, and why they chose to do it.
Watch out for: struggling to find any example, or only describing long hours.

13. Tell me about a critical problem you solved under pressure.

Pressure shows how someone really works.

Listen for: a calm, logical sequence: what they checked first, who they told, what they fixed, and how they stopped it happening again.
Watch out for: a heroic story with no process, or a problem they caused and then fixed.

14. Describe a time you took the initiative without being asked.

You need people who spot problems before anyone assigns them.

Listen for: they saw a gap, checked it with the right person, acted, and followed through.
Watch out for: going around their manager in ways that caused friction.

15. What’s a professional risk you’ve taken, and how did it turn out?

It shows how they handle uncertainty and whether they can tell a smart risk from a reckless one.

Listen for: a calculated risk: what they weighed, how they limited the downside, and what they learned whatever the outcome.
Watch out for: no example at all, or a risk that put other people’s work in danger without asking them.

16. Tell me about the most valuable feedback you’ve received.

Coachable people improve quickly. Defensive people don’t.

Listen for: specific feedback, how it felt, and what they changed because of it.
Watch out for: only praise, or feedback they still dispute.

17. Describe a time you had to learn something new quickly.

Roles change and tools change. Fast learners keep up.

Listen for: a clear method (documentation, a mentor, practice projects) and a result.
Watch out for: “I’m a fast learner” with no example.

18. Tell me about a time you exceeded a client’s or customer’s expectations.

Even internal roles serve someone. This shows who they believe they work for.

Listen for: they understood what the customer needed, not only what the customer asked for.
Watch out for: giving away things the company never agreed to, just to please the customer.

Problem-solving and situational questions

Situational questions describe a scenario and ask what the candidate would do. They are useful for early-career candidates with fewer past examples. For technical roles, pair them with role-specific questions like our engineering interview questions or software engineer interview questions.

19. How do you decide what to work on first when everything is urgent?

Priorities compete in every job. This tests judgment, not just effort.

Listen for: a method, such as impact, deadlines and dependencies, plus telling stakeholders what will slip.
Watch out for: “I just work harder”, or no sign of talking to anyone about trade-offs.

20. What steps do you take when making an important decision?

It shows whether they think things through or decide on the fly.

Listen for: gathering the right information, weighing options, checking with the right people, then committing.
Watch out for: either endless analysis or pure gut feel.

21. How do you deal with tight deadlines?

Deadline behavior predicts quality under pressure.

Listen for: breaking the work down, flagging risk early, and protecting the most important parts.
Watch out for: only describing staying late, or cutting corners without telling anyone.

22. How do you adapt when a project’s scope or deadline changes suddenly?

Plans change. You need people who adjust without losing momentum.

Listen for: re-planning, telling others what changed, and asking about trade-offs.
Watch out for: frustration with change, or quietly absorbing it until they burn out.

23. How do you stay organized when you’re managing several projects at once?

It shows their actual system, not just the claim that they’re organized.

Listen for: a specific system (tools, reviews, checklists) that they can describe in detail.
Watch out for: “I keep it in my head.”

24. How do you keep your skills current in your field?

Fields change quickly, especially in engineering and IT.

Listen for: specific sources, courses, communities or projects, and one recent thing they learned.
Watch out for: nothing specific since their last degree or certification.

Teamwork and communication questions

Most jobs fail because of people problems, not skills problems. These questions show how the candidate works with others.

25. How would your colleagues describe you?

It makes the candidate look at themselves through someone else’s eyes.

Listen for: a balanced description with an example behind each trait.
Watch out for: only flattering words, or a description that contradicts the rest of the interview.

26. How would your current or last manager describe you?

This one is easy to check later with reference questions, and candidates know that.

Listen for: strengths plus one or two honest areas their manager pushed them on.
Watch out for: an answer they seem nervous about you checking.

27. Describe a disagreement with a coworker. How was it resolved?

Conflict happens on every team. How it gets handled is what matters.

Listen for: they listened, focused on the problem rather than the person, and the relationship survived.
Watch out for: they “won”, avoided the issue entirely, or still hold a grudge.

28. Do you prefer working on a team or on your own?

Fit depends on the role. Some jobs are solo, most are collaborative, and remote work changes the balance.

Listen for: self-awareness about both, and flexibility that matches how your team works.
Watch out for: a strong preference that clashes with the job.

29. How do you keep communication clear in a remote or hybrid team?

Distributed teams depend on written communication and deliberate updates.

Listen for: specific habits: written summaries, regular check-ins, and documenting decisions.
Watch out for: assuming everyone will just stay in sync.

30. Tell me about a time you mentored or trained a colleague.

It shows whether they share knowledge, which matters for anyone moving toward leadership.

Listen for: patience, a structured approach, and pride in the other person’s progress.
Watch out for: impatience with people who learn more slowly.

Work style and culture fit questions

“Culture fit” should mean fitting how the work gets done, not being similar to the people already there. Keep these questions about work.

31. Describe the work environment where you do your best work.

Mismatched environments are a common reason good hires leave early.

Listen for: a description that roughly matches your pace, structure and setup.
Watch out for: a picture that’s the opposite of your workplace.

32. How do you define hard work?

Teams move at different speeds. This reveals their pace and expectations.

Listen for: a definition about results and ownership, not just hours.
Watch out for: a pace far faster or slower than your team’s.

33. How do you handle repetitive tasks and still do them well?

Every job has routine work.

Listen for: ways they stay accurate, and ideas for automating or improving the task.
Watch out for: open dislike of anything routine in a role that has plenty of it.

34. What does work-life balance look like for you?

Sustainable pace protects performance and retention.

Listen for: healthy boundaries and flexibility when it really matters.
Watch out for: expectations that clearly don’t fit the role’s schedule. Say what the schedule is up front.

Career goals questions

35. Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

You’re checking whether their goals and your opportunity point the same way.

Listen for: a direction, such as deeper expertise, leadership or a broader scope, that the role can support.
Watch out for: goals that clearly lead away from this role within a year.

36. What role would you like to grow into here?

It shows whether they’ve thought about a future with you specifically.

Listen for: a realistic next step that matches your team’s structure.
Watch out for: expecting a promotion on a timeline you can’t offer. Better to know now.

37. What do you want to do differently in your next job?

It shows what they’re moving away from and what they’re moving toward.

Listen for: positive, specific changes they want.
Watch out for: a list of complaints about their current employer.

38. Have you been interviewing anywhere else?

It’s a practical question about timing and how competitive the offer needs to be.

Listen for: a straight answer about where they are in other processes.
Watch out for: evasiveness. It’s normal for candidates to be interviewing elsewhere.

Closing questions

39. Is there anything we haven’t covered that you’d like us to know?

It gives strong candidates a chance to add something your questions missed.

Listen for: a relevant strength or piece of context.
Watch out for: “No” after a short interview, which can mean low interest.

40. What questions do you have for me?

The questions a candidate asks tell you how seriously they’re evaluating you. Strong candidates ask sharp ones. (If you’re the one being interviewed, see our list of questions to ask the interviewer.)

Listen for: questions about the team, the challenges, how success is measured, and next steps.
Watch out for: no questions, or only questions about time off.

How to score interview answers

Score every answer on the same four-point scale as soon as the interview ends, before you talk to anyone else on the panel:

Score	What it means
4 – Strong	A specific, relevant example with clear personal ownership and a measurable result.
3 – Good	A relevant example with most of the detail. Minor gaps.
2 – Weak	Generic or hypothetical. They couldn’t give a real example when asked.
1 – Concern	A red flag: blaming others, contradicting themselves, or behavior that doesn’t fit the role.

Add up the scores for the questions tied to the role’s must-haves, then compare candidates. When the panel’s scores differ widely on the same answer, talk it through. That usually means the question or the requirement wasn’t clear.

Interview questions employers should avoid asking

Questions to avoid asking an interviewee

Some questions can expose you to discrimination claims even when you mean nothing by them. In the US, federal laws enforced by the EEOC make it illegal to base hiring decisions on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), national origin, age (40 and over), disability or genetic information. Many states and cities add more protections, including bans on asking about salary history.

The safe rule: only ask about what the job actually requires. Most of these off-limits questions have a legal alternative that gets you the information you actually need:

Don’t ask	Ask instead (if job-related)
How old are you? When did you graduate?	If there’s a legal minimum age: Are you at least 18?
Where were you born? Is English your first language?	Are you legally authorized to work in the US? / This role requires fluent written English. Is that something you’re comfortable with?
Are you married? Do you have or plan to have children?	This role requires occasional overnight travel. Can you meet that schedule?
Are you pregnant or planning to be?	Don’t ask. Nothing about pregnancy is a legal basis for a hiring decision.
Do you have any disabilities or health conditions?	Can you perform the essential functions of this job, with or without reasonable accommodation?
What religion are you? Do you go to church?	This role requires weekend shifts. Are you able to work that schedule?
What’s your sexual orientation?	Don’t ask. It is never job-related.
What do you earn now?	What salary range are you targeting? (Asking about salary history is banned in many states and cities.)
Have you ever been arrested?	Follow your state’s ban-the-box rules. Many limit when and how you can ask about criminal history.

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Check your state’s rules with your HR team or employment counsel.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions should you ask in an interview?

For a 45–60 minute interview, plan on 8–12 core questions plus follow-ups. Depth beats breadth: two or three follow-ups on a good answer tell you more than five extra questions.

What are the best questions to ask an interviewee?

Behavioral questions that ask for real examples, such as a failed project, a disagreement with a coworker, or a problem solved under pressure. Combine them with questions about motivation and the specific skills the role needs. The quick list above is a good starting set.

Should every candidate get the same questions?

Yes, for the core questions. Asking everyone the same questions in the same order is what makes it fair to compare them. Your follow-ups can differ based on each candidate’s answers.