I've Conducted Nearly 1,000 Interviews. Most Candidates Nail the Questions. Then They Freeze When I Say: "Do You Have Any Questions for Me?"
The interview isn't over when you answer the last question.
It's just entering the real test.
As a Bar Raiser, I've seen hundreds of candidates excel at behavioral questionsโthen stumble in the final 10 minutes with generic questions like "What's the culture like?" or "What's a typical day?"
The candidates who stood out? They asked questions that made me think.
Here are 5 follow-up questions that separate good candidates from great ones:
๐งจ ๐ญ. "๐๐ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฑ โ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ถ๐ฑ๐ป'๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ โ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐บ๐ ๐ณ๐ถ๐?"
Bold. Direct. Shows confidence, coachability, and low ego.
This question takes guts. It also gives you a chance to address concerns before you walk out the door.
โ๏ธ ๐ฎ. "๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐๐ฎ๐น๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐ฒ?"
Makes your interest in accountability clear โ rare and powerful.
You're showing: I want to succeed by your standards, not just mine.
๐ก ๐ฏ. "๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฏ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐'๐ ๐บ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ถ๐บ๐ฝ๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ ๐ด๐ผ๐ฎ๐น๐?"
Shows you care about alignment, not just individual tasks.
You're signaling: I want to understand where this work fits in the bigger picture.
๐ฅ ๐ฐ. "๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐'๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ๐ผ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ต๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฎ๐ป ๐ถ๐ป๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ถ๐ฒ๐ โ ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐ป๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐ฑ๐ผ๐ฒ๐?"
Invites reflection โ and often surfaces what they actually care about beyond the job description.
๐ฏ ๐ฑ. "๐ช๐ต๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐น ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐๐ป๐ด๐ฒ๐ฟ ๐๐ฒ๐น๐ณ ๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ผ๐๐ ๐ท๐ผ๐ถ๐ป๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐?"
Unexpected. Disarming. Opens up real conversation.
Most interviewers pause โ then give you something honest they'd never share otherwise.
โ ๏ธ The Hard Truth
Generic questions signal generic thinking.
The candidates who get offers? They treat the Q&A like a strategy conversation, not a formality.
๐ฌ What's a question you've asked (or been asked) that completely changed the tone of an interview?
โ
๐ฅ I'm Howard โ an executive coach (and former Amazon Bar Raiser) helping high-achieving professionals navigate what's next.
๐ Ring my profile for more.
๐ Book a call