Questions to Ask Hiring Managers in a Technical Interview
It’s good practice to have a list of questions ready before an interview happens.
To start, asking questions makes for a good interview. The main reason for this is it shows that you are interested in learning more about the job/company.
It shows that you’re engaged in the conversation and it’s a good indicator that tells the recruiter you’re not asleep at the wheel. Instead, you’re driving the conversation forward.
Simple enough, but asking questions in an interview is more than just checking an item off a list.
More importantly, it is in your best interest to have questions prepared that you want or need answers to, like: Is this role permanently remote? Or What is the employer match for retirement accounts? And Is there a vesting period?
In my 5+ years of experience in the tech industry, my interview and work experience have helped me pinpoint the most important questions to ask. The crucial questions that suss out the important details.
In the end, the questions you prepare for your interviews should be relevant to you and your specific wants/needs. So, although this write-up contains questions that I think are worth considering, it’s also important to do some reflection and think about questions that will get you all of the information that matters to you.
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General questions
Compensation package questions
Technical questions
Remote work
Final thoughts
General questions
Below is a collection of some of the general questions I think are important to ask in an interview.
- What does your onboarding process look like?
- Can you describe a typical workday for someone in this position? This question opens up the conversation to get the details of what a real workday would look like. In addition to the main question, I like to give more context for what I’m looking for in the answer. Something like, And please feel free to be as detailed as possible so I can get a feel of what to expect. Adding that last bit after the main question guides the interviewer (hopefully someone who is doing the job that you’re interviewing for or works closely with someone who does) to provide a full response.
- As a [INSERT JOB TITLE] new hire, what are the first priority projects you’d like me to work on?
- What are the biggest bottlenecks and how can I help?
- Are there instances of employees working overtime? If yes, how often?
- How would you describe work-life balance at [INSERT COMPANY NAME]?
- What do you like/dislike about working at [INSERT COMPANY NAME]? Give the interviewer the option to choose which side (like/dislike) they’d like to answer first. I like this question (typically it’s the last question I’ll ask) because you get to hear some truths about the company/job and it’s fun to leave the conversation on a light note.
Compensation package and finance questions
Compensation package and finance questions are some of the most important questions to ask. The information uncovered in these chats can give you a good idea of any deductions or possible stipend opportunities.
- How many PTO days are allotted?
- How many holidays does [INSERT COMPANY NAME] observe?
- Is there a 401k offered? Both Traditional and Roth?
- How long is the vesting period, if any?
- What are the health, vision, and dental insurance benefit fees?
- Are there any bonuses I should be aware of (e.g., profit sharing, holiday bonus, etc)?
- Is there a stipend for continuing education (e.g., online courses, books, etc)?
- is there a stipend for conferences? Are the transportation, food, and hotel fees covered?
Technical questions
As a developer, I’ve found the following questions to be helpful in getting a better sense of what the technical side of work is like.
- Is there a specific code editor that the team uses/prefers?
- What technologies will I be working with? This should be answered in the job listing but I’ve found that when this question is asked, you get a more full answer that may include programming languages, remote hosting platforms, etc.
- Does this company provide paired programming opportunities?
- When a new project is created, what does the work process look like from start to completion? Some supplementary questions can include: Which departments will I be interacting with? How is the status of the project communicated? The goal here is to understand the workflow.
Questions that are relevant to remote work jobs
If you’re lucky enough to snag an interview with a company that offers remote positions, you’ll want to consider these questions.
- What times does someone typically sign on and sign off?
- Are employees required to track and log time? If so, what does that process look like?
- Are employees required to notify co-workers when they are going on break or stepping away from their computers?
- Will the company be providing a laptop?
- Are there any remote work stipends I should be aware of (e.g., funds that cover a desk, office supplies, the internet bill, etc)?
Final thoughts on questions to ask hiring managers in an interview
Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list and I’m sure I’m missing some other important questions but I think it’s a good place to start.
And remember, it’s important to do some reflection and think about the questions that you want to be answered for your particular wants/needs.
Interviews are there for the employer to get a sense of who you are AND for you to get a sense of who they are. They’re a part of the hiring process so that both parties can decide if they want to work with each other.
So, ask what you need to ask. They are doing the same.
If you found this article helpful, consider bookmarking it for later or sharing it with a friend who is prepping for their interview!