Why ask questions
Almost every interview ends with "Do you have any questions?" Answering "no" reads as disinterest. Good questions do two things: they show you think like an engineer/colleague, and they give you data to decide whether to accept an offer.
Strong questions by theme
Team and process:
- What does a typical week in this role look like?
- How do code review and deploys work?
- How are technical decisions made — by whom and how?
Expectations:
- What does success in this role look like at 3 and 6 months?
- What's the biggest problem the team faces right now?
Growth:
- How do development and level reviews work here?
- Any examples of people growing inside the team?
To the interviewer personally:
- What do you enjoy about working here?
- What would you want to improve?
What to avoid
- Questions answered on the job page (shows you didn't read it).
- Only salary and vacation on a technical round — save those for the recruiter/offer.
- Closed yes/no questions — they don't open up the conversation.
Preparation
Stock 4-5 questions so 2-3 are still unanswered by the end. Some may get covered during the chat — that's fine.
Checklist
- 4-5 substantive questions ready
- A question about success in the role
- A personal question for the interviewer
- No questions already answered in the posting