Questions to Ask
Behavioral: lesson 6 of 8
Your questions are part of the interview.
Lesson 6 of 8 · 4 min
Questions to Ask
Step 1 of 12
The last ten minutes are still being scored — and they are the only part where you collect data.
The Idea
The last ten minutes are still being scored, and they are the only part where you collect data. Ask what you genuinely need in order to decide, and ask each person what only they can answer. A careers page can tell you the tech stack.
Real-World Example
"What technologies do you use?" is already published. To the hiring manager at a climate-data startup, ask instead: "What has this team shipped in the last quarter, and what slipped?" The answer tells you about scope, honesty and how much of the roadmap is real — none of which a job description prints.
The Tradeoff
Sharp questions surface answers you may not want; sometimes the honest reply is a warning, and you still have to decide. Make every question a risk question, though, and you read as someone bracing for the worst rather than joining.
Your turn
Put the steps in the right order.
- Ask the deciding one first, before the time runs out
- Write down what would actually make you turn this job down
- Delete every question the careers page already answers
- Match each remaining question to the person who can answer it
Mini quiz
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