The Questions You Ask Matter
As Much As The Answers You Give.

A guide for graduates · Free Resource
Most graduates spend weeks preparing answers. Hardly any prepare their questions. Here's what experienced hiring managers know: when they ask for questions at the end of an interview, the evaluation hasn't stopped. It's just shifted. What you ask reveals your thinking, your preparation, and whether you genuinely want this specific role. It's often the most unguarded and most revealing part of the conversation.
Do's and Don'ts — What to Ask and What to Never Ask
Ask this
Never ask this
What does success look like in this role in the first six months? Shows you're thinking about contribution, not just fitting in.
What does the day-to-day look like? Signals you haven't researched enough to already have a picture of this.
What's the hardest part of this role that doesn't show up in the job description? Opens a real conversation. Shows intellectual curiosity.
What are the opportunities for career progression? Reads as self-serving in a first interview. Focus on the role first.
I noticed [specific company news or initiative]. How is the team thinking about that? Proves you went further than the homepage. Signals genuine interest.
What is the salary for this role? In a first interview, this signals compensation is your primary motivation.
How would you describe the culture of this team? Not the official version. Invites honesty. Shows you're evaluating them as much as they're evaluating you.
No, I think you've covered everything, thanks. The most damaging response of all. Signals zero curiosity about the role.
How to Build a Strong Question — The Formula

There's no universal list of great questions. What works depends on the role, the company, and the conversation you've just had. But every strong question follows the same formula:

01

Reference something specific

A news item, something from the job ad, something the interviewer said. Show you were listening and you've done the work.

02

Make it outward, not inward

Questions about the work, the team, and the challenges land better than questions about what you'll receive from the role.

03

Invite a real answer

The best questions don't have a clean answer. They open a conversation and shift the dynamic from interview to dialogue.

Three Questions That Consistently Land Well — And Why
The question
Why it works

"What do the graduates who thrive here have in common, beyond the technical skills?"

Signals you're thinking beyond the job description and you understand culture matters.

"What's the biggest challenge facing this team right now that the person in this role will need to help solve?"

Orients you around contribution. Shows commercial awareness and that you're already thinking about the work.

"Is there anything from this conversation that makes you uncertain about whether I'd be the right fit?"

Brave, but highly effective. Invites objections while you're still in the room to address them. Most graduates would never ask this.

Ready to go further?

Building the right questions for your specific role and delivering them with confidence. That's the coaching work.

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