Questions to ask at the end of the interview to make you shine
Career fairs and other recruiting events are coming up. Let the Career and Professional Development team help you get ready.

Imagine this scenario: Your interview is going well. You’ve confidently answered all the recruiter’s questions, and your time with the interviewer is winding down. Now, you’ll most likely be asked, “Do you have any questions for me?”
“By all means, say yes,” said Becca Scott, director of professional development and experiential initiatives for Career and Professional Development. “Asking questions at the end of an interview makes you look interested, enthusiastic and engaged – all qualities that employers want. It’s best to come up with four or five questions to ask the interviewer. If one or two of them are answered during the earlier discussion, you have backup questions ready to go.”
Scott also advises that students use all of the time they’re allotted for an interview. “If you have an hour,” she said, “take the hour. In general, the longer you spend with the recruiter, the better the outcome. Asking questions at the end of an interview not only shows your excitement for the job, but it also extends your time with your recruiter.”
Sample interview questions
Need inspiration? Here are some good questions to ask at an interview:
- What does a typical day look like? Asking this question lets you to learn as much about the role as possible – and will also help you decide if the position is a good fit for you.
- How could I wow you in the first few months on the job? This question shows potential employers that you're eager to make a positive contribution to the organization. It also gives you the opportunity to highlight how your skills would benefit the company from the jump.
- Are there training and progression opportunities? This demonstrates to the interviewer that you're serious about your career and committed to a future with the organization.
- Where do you think the company is headed in the next five years? The response will give you insight into the company's progression plans – and a general idea about job security. You may also get a heads-up on any major upcoming projects.
- Can you describe the camaraderie of the organization? Asking this question is a great way to assess the working environment of the company and hypothesize how well you'll fit in.
- What do you like most about your job? Almost everybody loves to talk about themselves, and this question enables you to build up a sense of camaraderie with your interviewer.
- Can you tell me more about the team I would be working with? These are the people you'll work most closely with, so it's worth trying to find out about the team dynamic and working methods.
Additional tips
Research the company. You’ll want to understand the company's history, mission, and values. A great place to start is by browsing the company's website. You can also search for recent news articles. Use the information you find to help shape your questions.
- Practice, practice, practice. Practicing your questions in advance can make you more comfortable and boost your confidence on the day of the interview. And with Career and Professional Development’s online tool, VMock, you can practice any time, 24/7.
- Avoid “yes” or “no” questions. This information can probably be found on the organization’s website, and they don’t encourage long-form answers, which offer insights.
- Consider asking about next steps. You'll convey your interest in the job one last time and learn about the hiring timeline, potential additional interviews or when you can expect to hear from them. You might say: I've really enjoyed learning more about this opportunity. What are the next steps in the hiring process?
- Stay away from these topics. If you're still in the early stages of the interview process, avoid asking questions about salary, benefits, vacation time or company perks. These questions should be saved for when you are formally offered the job.
Please reach out to Career and Professional Development for help. Appointments can be made on Handshake or by calling 540-231-6241. Advising appointments are available in person, by Zoom, and by phone any time between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. whenever the university is open – even when classes aren’t in session. Career and Professional Development is in the Smith Career Center on the Blacksburg campus.