The Interview Questions You Should Be Asking

You’ve polished your CV, prepared your answers, and rehearsed your elevator pitch, but what about the questions you should be asking?

Interviews aren’t just about proving you’re the right fit for the job; they’re also your chance to discover whether the organisation, the team, and the role align with your career goals. Yet many candidates leave this opportunity on the table, often asking only about salary or start dates.

As Joel points out, the questions you ask say a lot about your level of preparation and intent:

“Any question that shows you’ve put thought into it, that you’ve bothered to do some research on the company, elevates you. It shows it’s not just a passing interest. You’re engaged.”

The right questions don’t just help you gather information; they set you apart as a considered, professional candidate. Here are some of the most overlooked but valuable questions to ask in your next interview.

1. “What does success in this role look like in the first 3, 6 and 12 months?”

This question helps you get clear on expectations early. It shows you’re focused on outcomes and want to align yourself with the company’s priorities.

Joel strongly encourages candidates to go deeper here:

“Asking what ‘good looks like’ to the employer in 3 months, 6 months’ time helps them clearly define what they actually want from you if they hire you.”

For project roles, this might mean delivering a specific milestone, achieving a safety record, hitting productivity targets, or successfully bedding into a new site.

2. “What are the main challenges facing the team or business right now?”

Every project has its hurdles – budget pressures, tight deadlines, regulatory compliance, skill shortages, or workforce constraints.

Paulina highlights this as a critical insight-gathering question.

By asking this, you demonstrate problem-solving initiative and gain valuable insight into what the business truly needs from you, not just what’s written in the job description.

3. “What opportunities exist for career progression and professional development?”

Sharon encourages candidates to go beyond titles and timeframes:

“Career opportunity and pathways are standard questions, but candidates also need to find out if there is the opportunity for educational assistance — both financially and with time — to help get them where they want to be.”

Training, mentoring, secondments and exposure to different projects can play a major role in long-term career satisfaction.

4. “What does work-life balance look like in reality?”

Work-life balance means different things in different roles, particularly across project-based work, shift work, site roles and corporate teams.

As Paulina notes, this is one of the most important but least asked questions.

This gives you insight into overtime expectations, flexibility, rosters, and whether wellbeing is genuinely prioritised.

5. “What are the expectations and clear KPIs set for the role?”

Clarifying expectations around performance helps remove ambiguity and ensures you and your employer are aligned from day one. This not only shows maturity and accountability, but also helps you assess how success is recognised, reviewed and rewarded.

Our Take

Strong questions do more than help you gather information, they leave the interviewer with a positive impression of your professionalism, curiosity and strategic thinking.

Next time you’re preparing for an interview, go in with more than just answers. Bring thoughtful, well-researched questions. You won’t just stand out, you’ll put yourself in a much stronger position to make the right career move.