I have an interview next week, and it's the first one I've had in over 5 years, so I'm just a little rusty. I'm trying to come up with a list of insightful questions to ask, but don't want to sound too generic. Does anyone have general but thoughtful questions that have worked well for them?

I always ask about their turnover or how/why the position became available. It allows them to basically tell you how the company is or how their culture is without having to be outright. You can tell when they are being honest or just trying to make it sound better. It’s very helpful for smaller companies or ones you can’t find a lot of reviews on. Obviously the wage is important but their answer says a lot about their company culture /environment

I have a 3 question system. 1. That deals with culture 2. Something about growth 3. Company specific. Focus on what are the most important things for you and work out questions on that. Best of luck also, I’m sure you will do awesome.

Not sure if this applies to your role, but I’ve had great responses when I ask: "What’s the biggest change you’ve seen in the company (or the industry) in the last few years?" It always opens up the conversation and shows curiosity.

I like to ask them what their ideal candidate looks like. It shows their priorities and the kind of team they are trying to cultivate. And sometimes it can signal to a potentially toxic work environment that they may be trying to otherwise hide.

About the Role
• What does success look like in this role over the first 6–12 months?
• What are the biggest challenges someone in this position would face?
• What would a typical day or week look like for someone in this role?
• How is performance measured and reviewed?

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About the Team
• Can you tell me more about the team I’ll be working with?
• How does this team typically collaborate and communicate?
• Are there opportunities for mentorship or shadowing with more senior team members?

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About the Company
• How would you describe the company culture here?
• What are the company’s short- and long-term goals?
• How does leadership support professional growth and development?

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About Advancement & Growth
• Are there defined career paths for this role?
• What kind of training or development programs does the company offer?
• Have others in this role been promoted or taken on new responsibilities?

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About the Interviewer’s Experience
• What’s your favorite part about working here?
• How has your role evolved since you started?
• What’s one thing you wish you had known before joining?

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Wrap-Up Questions
• Is there anything about my background that gives you pause or that I could clarify further?
• What are the next steps in the interview process?
• When can I expect to hear back about the decision?

The hardest questions come in the form of S.T.A.R.

Give me a situation (S).
Give me the task at hand (T)
What was the action you took (A)
Tell me the result. (R)

You would rather over prepare than under prepare so start thinking about those type of situations and how did you navigate thru them.

Give me a time when you and your team member/manager did not see eye to eye. What was the Situation, Task, Action and Result. Just because you haven’t been in the work force for the last five years doesn’t mean you never experienced a question like this. Also be prepared to explain your 5 year gap. Hope this helps. Good luck.

How does this role involve the growth of the organization?

1. How are members of the team currently supported by management in their current job specific goals? In addition to long term career goals?

2. How would you describe your management style?

3. What challenges would there be in this role in achieving any assigned goals that aren’t so apparent?

When it gets to comp discussions, I would ask for details on the past 3 years of any company performance modifiers that have been automatically applied to the bonus pool that you would fall under as well as what modifiers are added by position and how often certain above average ratings are given. Be sure to get what your target bonus % would be as well and how that may change with a promotion etc.

What type of a position are you interviewing for? Depending on the on the position you can ask, is this position and due to growth or due to someone leaving? What are the expectations for the position, how much am I expected to do in a day in other words what are my goals? Is there a Bonus? Try to see if how long people stay working for the company, if the senior person has the most longevity & it is short, buyer be ware. Hard to say without knowing if this is a production, sales, management or IT position.

I like to ask what they like the most about the job and what they don’t like.