The short answer
Most interviews end with “Do you have any questions for us?” Have two or three ready, written down, that you genuinely want answered: what a normal day looks like, how new people are trained, and what doing well looks like after a few months are good places to start. Save pay and holiday questions until you have an offer, unless they’ve already come up. If they’ve answered everything, say so. That’s fine.
Why this question matters to you
An interview is two people finding out about each other. They’re working out whether you’d do the job well. You’re working out whether you’d want to do it: the hours, the people, how much help you’d get at the start.
The end of the interview is where you get to ask. So choose questions whose answers would actually change how you feel about the job. That’s what makes a question good. Not how clever it sounds.
Questions worth asking, and what the answer tells you
About the job itself
What would a typical day or shift look like?
This tells you what you’d really be doing, which isn’t always obvious from a job advert. In a shop, is it mostly the till, the shop floor or the stockroom? In an office, is it mostly phones, email or data entry?
About starting out
How do you support someone who is new to the role?
For a first job this might be the most useful question of all. Is there training? A buddy? Someone to ask on your first shift? The answer tells you how much you’ll be expected to know on day one, which is often less than you fear.
About doing well
What would doing well in this job look like after the first few months?
This tells you what they’ll be paying attention to. Maybe it’s reliability. Maybe it’s learning the stock system. Either way, you’ll know where to put your effort if you get the job.
Other good questions
- What do you enjoy about working here?
- Who would I be working with most of the time?
- Are there chances to learn new things or take on more over time?
- What’s the busiest part of the week, and how does the team handle it?
- What are the next steps, and when should I expect to hear from you?
That last one is always useful. It means you won’t spend the next week refreshing your inbox wondering whether you’ve missed something.
Make them yours
Generic questions are fine, but questions that show you’ve been listening are better. Tweak one to fit the place.
Before
Can you tell me about the training?
After
You mentioned the weekend shifts are the busiest. How do new people get trained up before they work a Saturday?
Why it works The second question uses something they said. It shows you were listening, and it gets you a much more specific answer.
Jordan is made up, but this is a common situation: a college student applying for weekend work in a busy café. Jordan’s three questions:
What does a typical Saturday shift look like? How do you train someone who hasn’t used a coffee machine before? When do you expect to make a decision?
What to save until later
Some questions are completely reasonable but usually land better once you have an offer:
- Pay, if it wasn’t in the advert.
- Holiday, time off and breaks.
- Things you could find with one search, like what the company sells or how many shops it has.
If the interviewer brings up pay or hours themselves, it’s fine to ask about them then. And when you get an offer, you absolutely should check pay, hours and start date before accepting. Our guide to understanding a job offer covers that.
One exception: if something would genuinely stop you taking the job, like whether the shifts fit around college, it’s better to ask now than to find out later. Ask it plainly: “Would the shifts be able to work around my college timetable on Tuesdays and Thursdays?”
If they’ve already answered everything
This happens a lot, especially in friendly interviews where they explain the job thoroughly. Don’t ask a question they’ve already answered just to have something to say. Instead:
“I had a few questions written down about training and the team, but you’ve covered them really well, thank you. I think the only thing left is: when are you hoping to let people know?”
That shows you prepared, and it ends the interview naturally.
A note on writing them down
It’s normal to bring your questions written down, on paper or in your phone notes. Glancing at them is fine. If you get nervous, a list in front of you means you won’t go blank. In a video interview, a sticky note beside the camera works well.
Try
Choose your three
Look at the job you’re applying for (or one you’d like). Then answer these privately. Your answers stay in this browser.
Turn your answers into two or three questions and write them where you’ll see them in the interview.
Your answers are saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us.
In short
- The end of the interview is your chance to find out if the job is right for you.
- Bring two or three questions you actually want answered, written down.
- Good starters: a typical day, how new people are supported, what doing well looks like.
- Ask when you’ll hear back.
- Save pay and holiday until an offer, unless it’s raised or it’s a dealbreaker.
- If they’ve answered everything, say so. That’s a fine ending.
Sources and further reading
- Interview advice National Careers Service
- 7 good questions to ask at an interview Prospects
Checked against these sources on 14 November 2026. Rules and rates change: if something here looks out of date, tell us at hello@cvbuffed.com. How we check our guidance.