Ask HN: What to Ask in a Job Interview in Response to “Any Questions?”
I just about always say that I don't have any questions. I speculate that makes me appear rather lame.
Instead, this is your opportunity to fill in any blanks you might have regarding if you actually want to grace them with your presence. IMO "no" is a perfectly valid response to that question as it is possible that any question marks you had were already discussed during the interview itself.
When dealing with more standard tech interviews (multiple panels of 1-2 people largely consisting of tech questions) I usually try to use that time to get a better sense of the day to day life working there from that interviewer's perspective. What do they do, how do they work, what don't they like, etc.
* What is your favorite part of your job?
* What are the most frustrating aspects of your job?
* What will my first few weeks look like?
* Why are you interested in me as a candidate? How do you think I will contribute to the team? (I don't have a data science background.)
Good questions give the interviewer a chance to talk about themselves, let them convince you that you should work for them, and assume that you've got the job offer ("What will I be doing?" not "What would I be doing if I get the job?"). Leave questions about benefit specifics until after you get the offer, unless it's a follow-up to something they bring up.
Don't be afraid to ask follow-up questions while they're asking questions--a conversation is much better than one-sided questions.
Revealing questions:
1.) What happens when the estimate is off? Does it happen often? This should give you a hint as to how much overtime you'll be working.
2.) Do you like working here? Look for what their reaction is. If they pause or stammer, it can be a red flag.
3.) How many weeks of vacation did you take last year? Some companies have "unlimited" vacation time policy, but you might feel awkward taking 5 weeks if everyone else takes 3.
In general, you should have a few top things that you are trying to uncover during your interview. The interview process is 2-way. If you've gotten answers or impressions to your top few items and you truly have no additional questions, you could respond by saying, "I was most interested to find out about A, B, and C. This is what I heard... I don't have any pressing questions beyond those right now. But could I follow up with you if something else comes up?"
Let's assume you and I are talking 12-18 months from now. And we've accomplished 3-4 important things working together... what would those achievements be?
This question shows a focus on their perceived problems and priorities. It's also interesting to take note whether or not multiple interviewers are aligned.
"You've seen my resume'; what new things would I learn working here?"
"Do you validate parking?" (Just kidding)