Question List

For either an informational or job interview

Asking questions helps you - the interviewer - learn more, but also provides information to the person you’re chatting with. Thoughtful questions can build rapport, demonstrate curiosity, and indicate enthusiasm for a role or industry. Question can also reflect how you’ve been listening and processing information. Rather than mechanically going through questions one by one, you should be prepared to respond at appropriate times and ask follow-up questions when relevant - listen carefully and try to ensure your interviewee is comfortable with the direction of the conversation.

Though this page is a great start, it is by no means a fully comprehensive question list. Feel free to modify and add questions or sections based on your own interests/industries.

📌 Tip: You can use this document for note-taking during meetings. Simply duplicate and retitle it, jot down notes in sub-bullets under the questions, and delete any irrelevant questions.

💁 About You

How did you succeed in your industry?

What does your typical day or week look like? What kinds of projects do you find most exciting?

How have your past experiences contributed to your view on/approach to your role today?

What didn’t you know before you got into this industry that you wish someone had told you?

What brought you to the company, and what are the reasons you've stayed at the company for X years (if they stayed a long time)?

What do you personally like most about working with the company?

🔍 Skills & Experience

What skills and traits do you think differentiates a great from merely a good [role]?

What kinds of experiences should a student looking to enter the field be striving to obtain?

What are marketable skills in the sector and what should I do now to get ahead? If you were me, what would you be doing right now to best break into this industry or function?

Have you had interns or contractors in the past? What sorts of projects have they done?

What resources — for example, websites or blogs — do you read to stay current on your industry?

👍 Value

Do you feel that the company values manifest in your day-to-day role?

How do you create value propositions/principles that manage to evolve with the times and can be applied across multiple products and channels?

How do you convince people who do not currently see the value in X (eg. intangible assets) that it (eg. brands) is/are important?

What makes a successful project (eg. rebranding)? How do you judge success?

➡️ Industry Future

How you see this field evolving over the next ten years? (And how are your company preparing for it?)

What are some intriguing market or industry trends that you think will take off now/in the near future?

What next steps would you recommend for someone in my situation? aka Who should I talk to next?

Do you know of any roles within your industry that requires the same sort of skillsets?

If you were me, what would you be doing right now to best break into this industry or function?

💼 End of Job Interview

What are some key traits of a person who'd be considered a good cultural fit at your company?

What does success look like in this position and how would you measure it?

(To know what to work on:) Do you have any reservations about considering me for this role?

💁 About You

🔍 Skills & Experience

👍 Value

➡️ Industry Future

💼 End of Job Interview

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