Questions Not to Ask in an Interview: 20 to Avoid or Rephrase

The questions not to ask in an interview are ones you could answer with a quick search, ones that put pay, time off or perks ahead of the work in an early round, ones that suggest you're already planning to leave, and personal questions about the interviewer. Nearly all of them can be rephrased into a better question that gets you the same information without the bad impression.

Asking questions is still essential, and having none is its own mistake. This page covers what to avoid and how to rephrase it. For questions you should ask, see our list of questions to ask the interviewer. This page is part of our guide to common interview mistakes.

Why do some interview questions hurt your chances?

Your questions are part of the evaluation. Interviewers read them as evidence of three things: whether you prepared, what you care about, and how you'll behave once you're on the team. A question that shows you didn't read the job description, or that your first concern is leaving early on Fridays, can undo a strong answer from ten minutes earlier.

The fix is rarely to stay silent. It's to ask the right person at the right stage, and to phrase the question around the work. Recruiters expect logistics questions; hiring managers and peers expect questions about the role, the team and how success is measured.

The 20 questions at a glance

The "ask instead" versions are examples we wrote. Adapt them to the role.

Questions that show you didn't do your research

1. "What does your company do?"

The answer is on the homepage, so asking it tells the interviewer you didn't look. Ask instead: a question that builds on what you read, such as how the team's work connects to the product you've already studied.

2. "Who are your competitors?"

You can find a basic competitor list in minutes. Ask instead: "Where do customers most often choose you over the alternatives?" It shows you know there is a market and invites a more useful answer.

3. "So what does this role involve?"

Asking about the role in general suggests you didn't read the job description. Ask instead: "Which part of the job description matters most in the first six months?" That gets you the real priorities, which the posting rarely ranks.

4. Questions the interviewer already answered

Asking about something covered ten minutes earlier tells them you weren't listening. Ask instead: go one level deeper on something they said: "You mentioned the team is moving to quarterly planning. How is that going so far?"

Questions about pay, perks and time off asked too early

These are fair questions. The problem is asking them first, or asking them of a peer interviewer who can't answer. Recruiters handle compensation and benefits, and many companies cover the range in the first call. If the posting lists a range, you can refer to it. For handling the salary question when it comes to you, see our guide to answering "What are your salary expectations?".

5. "How much does this pay?" as your first question

Opening with pay, especially to an engineer or designer on the panel, signals that money is your main interest. Ask instead: ask the recruiter directly and early: "What is the salary range for this role?" It's a normal question at that stage.

6. "How much vacation do I get?"

In an early interview it can sound like you're planning time off before you've started. Ask instead: ask the recruiter for the benefits overview, which normally covers leave, health coverage and retirement plans in one document.

7. "How soon can I get a raise?"

It implies you're already unhappy with the offer you don't yet have. Ask instead: "How are performance and compensation reviewed?" You learn the cycle without sounding impatient.

8. "Can I work from home whenever I want?"

Phrased this way, it sounds like you're looking for minimal oversight. Ask instead: "How does the team split remote and office days?" If you need a specific arrangement, raise it with the recruiter. Our questions to ask in a remote job interview cover this in more depth.

9. "Do you monitor what I do online?"

It suggests you're planning things you wouldn't want seen. Ask instead: "What tools and policies should a new hire know about?" Policy details usually come with the offer paperwork.

Questions that signal low commitment

10. "How soon can I transfer to another team?"

The interviewer hears that you want a different job than the one they're hiring for. Ask instead: "What paths have people in this role taken after a few years?" It shows ambition without signaling you'll leave the team early.

11. "Do I have to work overtime?"

Workload is a fair concern, but this phrasing sounds like you want to do the minimum. Ask instead: "What does a busy period look like, and how often does it happen?" A peer will usually give you the most honest answer.

12. "How quickly can I be promoted?"

It focuses on the title rather than the work. Ask instead: "What does someone at the next level do differently?" You learn the bar, and the interviewer sees you thinking about growth.

13. "Can I skip the take-home or another step?"

Unless you have a real constraint, asking to skip a step suggests you won't put in effort. Ask instead: ask the recruiter what each step evaluates. If you have a genuine time conflict or need an accommodation, say so plainly. Those are reasonable requests.

Questions that put the interviewer on the spot

14. "Did I get the job?"

Interviewers usually can't answer, because decisions are made after comparing feedback. Asking puts them in an awkward position. Ask instead: "What are the next steps, and when should I expect to hear?" If you want to address doubts, our guide on how to end an interview strong shows how to ask about concerns professionally.

15. "Why did the last person leave?"

It can come across as fishing for gossip, and the interviewer may not be able to share. Ask instead: "What did the previous person in this role do especially well?" You still learn what the role needs.

16. Personal questions about the interviewer

Marriage, children, age, religion and politics are off limits in both directions. Ask instead: "What do you enjoy most about working here?" It's personal enough to build rapport without crossing a line.

17. "Is the layoff news true?"

Asking about bad news bluntly puts the interviewer on the defensive. Stability is a fair concern. Ask instead: "How has the recent reorganization affected this team's plans?" A calm, specific question is more likely to get a real answer.

Weak or closing questions to avoid

18. Yes-or-no questions like "Do you like working here?"

Almost everyone says "yes", and you learn nothing. Ask instead: open questions such as "What has kept you on this team?" or "What surprised you when you joined?"

19. Questions designed to test or impress the interviewer

Quizzing an interviewer on a technical detail, or asking a long question that is really a speech, reads as point-scoring. Ask instead: a genuine question about how the team works, such as how they decide when to pay down technical debt.

20. "No, I don't have any questions."

Having no questions often reads as low interest. Ask instead: prepare three or four questions for each interviewer and use two or three of them. If yours were already answered, say so and ask one follow-up on something they said. Our list of questions to ask a hiring manager is a good starting point.

When is it OK to ask about salary and benefits?

Early, and to the recruiter. Many recruiters raise pay in the first call, and asking for the range then is normal and saves everyone time. Once you have an offer, ask anything: base pay, bonus, equity, benefits, leave, start date and remote arrangements. Between those points, keep interviews with the hiring manager and team focused on the work. For first-call questions, see our questions to ask a recruiter, and to check a number before negotiating, try the salary negotiation calculator.

Practice it out loud

A good question delivered awkwardly can still land badly. Rehearse the end of the interview, including your questions, with an AI mock interview built from your résumé and the job description. CoPilot Interview's free mock interview asks questions aloud and scores each spoken answer out of 10 with what to fix, so you can tighten your closing before the real conversation. It's free for 15 minutes a day, with no account. Follow each employer's rules, and use AI to prepare beforehand. For phrases to avoid in your answers too, see things not to say in an interview.

FAQ

Is it bad to ask about salary in an interview?

No, as long as you ask the right person at the right time. Asking the recruiter for the range early in the process is normal. Leading with pay in a hiring manager or peer interview can suggest money is your main interest.

Should I ask "Did I get the job?" at the end of an interview?

It is better not to. Interviewers usually cannot answer because decisions are made after feedback is compared. Ask what the next steps are and when you should expect to hear instead.

Is it OK to ask why the last person left the role?

It can sound like fishing for gossip, and the interviewer may not be able to share. Asking what the previous person did especially well gets you useful information without the awkwardness.

How many questions should I ask in an interview?

Prepare three or four for each interviewer and plan to use two or three, depending on time. Quality matters more than number, and one good follow-up on something they said is often the strongest question.

Can I ask about remote work in an interview?

Yes. Phrase it around how the team works, such as how it splits remote and office days, and raise any specific arrangement you need with the recruiter.

What should I say if all my questions were already answered?

Say that the conversation covered your main questions, mention one thing you found useful, and ask a follow-up that goes deeper on something the interviewer said.