job interviews

Stop Asking Pointless Interview Questions – Ask These Instead

Stop Asking Pointless Interview Questions – Ask These Instead

You know those generic interview questions that everyone seems to ask? Things like:

  • “What’s the company culture like?”
  • “What opportunities are there for learning and development?”

Sounds sensible, right? But here’s the problem: you’re not going to get an honest answer.

These are fluff questions, and the interviewer will give you fluff answers, rehearsed, corporate-approved responses that don’t actually tell you anything useful.

Think about it. No hiring manager is going to say, “Yeah, our culture is pretty toxic, we overwork people, and career development is basically non-existent.” Even if that’s the reality.

Instead of wasting your chance to get real insights, flip it. Ask questions that force the interviewer to give you actual examples.

This interview isn’t just about them assessing you. You should also be assessing them. After all, this person could be your future boss, and their leadership style will impact your work life massively.

So, let’s bin the pointless questions and replace them with ones that actually matter.

And the one question that you should NEVER ask!

1. Stop Asking: “What’s the company culture like?”

Ask Instead: “What’s the best thing about working here, and what’s the most challenging thing?”

Why? Because instead of a polished, generic answer like “Oh, we have a great culture, we value collaboration and innovation” (which tells you nothing), this forces the interviewer to actually reflect on the reality of working there.

The best thing they mention gives you a glimpse into what genuinely makes employees happy. The biggest challenge they mention? That’s what employees complain about when management isn’t around.

Listen carefully to their answer—if they hesitate or struggle to come up with anything good, that’s a red flag.

2. Stop Asking: “What opportunities are there for career development?”

Ask Instead: “Can you share an example of someone on your team who was recently promoted and what contributed to their success?”

This question is gold because:

  • It makes them prove whether promotions actually happen.
  • It reveals what really matters in terms of career progression.
  • It helps you see if their idea of “career development” aligns with what you want.

If they can’t give you an example, then guess what? Their career development process is probably rubbish. Move accordingly.

If they can, listen carefully—did the promotion happen because that person worked on a high-profile project? Did they have a great relationship with leadership? Was there a clear career path, or was it just luck?

This tells you exactly how to get ahead in this company if you decide to take the job.

3. Stop Asking: “What’s the management style here?”

Ask Instead: “Can you tell me about a time when someone on your team made a mistake? How did you handle it?”

Why? Because everyone says they have a “supportive” and “collaborative” management style. But when you ask them about how they deal with mistakes, their real leadership style is exposed.

If they say something like, “Well, mistakes happen, and we focus on learning from them,” that’s a good sign.

But if they say something like, “I expect my team to get things right the first time,” or worse, they dodge the question entirely? That tells you they might be the kind of boss who micromanages or punishes mistakes.

This is a critical question because everyone makes mistakes. You need to know if your future boss will throw you under the bus when things go wrong.

4. Stop Asking: “What do you like about working here?”

Ask Instead: “If you could change one thing about this company, what would it be?”

This flips the script and gets the interviewer to reveal what’s frustrating about working there—something they’d never say outright if you asked about culture or job satisfaction.

Pay attention to their answer. If it’s something minor, like, “I wish we had more office events”, that’s not a big deal.

But if they say something like, “Communication from leadership isn’t always the best” or “We’ve had some issues with work-life balance,” then you know there’s something to be aware of.

5. Stop Asking: “How does this role contribute to the company’s success?”

Ask Instead: “What does success in this role look like after six months and one year?”

This is important because:

  • It shows what they really expect from you.
  • It helps you understand whether expectations are realistic.
  • It sets you up to succeed if you get the job.

If their answer is super vague, that’s a red flag. A good hiring manager should be able to say something like, “By six months, you should have done X. By one year, we’d expect you to have achieved Y.”

If they can’t, they probably haven’t thought through what they actually want from this role. That’s a sign the job might be chaotic, with unclear expectations.

Never ask…

“Do you have any reservations about my suitability for this role?”

There’s a bit of advice doing the rounds online that says you should end every interview by asking, “Do you have any reservations about my suitability for this role?”

Don’t.

It’s one of the worst questions you can ask. It puts the interviewer in an awkward position - they either lie and say “no,” or they give you negative feedback on the spot, which you then try to rebut. Either way, the interview ends on a weird, uncomfortable note.

The truth is, by the time you’re asking your end-of-interview questions, the hiring manager has probably already made their decision. This question won’t swing things in your favour - if anything, it can come across as pushy or even a bit desperate.

Instead, focus on finishing strong with questions that show curiosity, maturity and genuine interest in the role, not ones that make the interviewer cringe.

Ask the Right Questions and Spot the Red Flags

Most candidates focus so much on making a good impression that they forget they’re interviewing the company too.

Asking real questions helps you:

  • Spot red flags before it’s too late.
  • Find out what’s truly important for career growth.
  • Decide whether this job is actually right for you.

So, next time you’re in an interview, don’t waste your chance by asking pointless questions.

Ask about real experiences, look for honest answers, and make sure this job—and your potential boss—are actually the right fit for you.

Start with these free tools that thousands of jobseekers use every week:

If you want practical, straight-talking career advice every week, you can also join my newsletter here.

Read next