1 min lesson
Questions to ask them
Walk through the important items in "Questions to ask them" and give the practical point of each.
Step 1 of 3
Your questions are graded too. For a senior, system-building role the questions reveal whether you think like an owner of the quality loop - or like someone who'll work whatever queue they're given. Ask the things only an insider could answer.
The cheapest tell is asking something the JD or a quick search already answers. The strongest questions probe the gaps in the current system, because that's the system you'd be hired to build and improve.
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Advanced table
Questions to avoid
Questions to avoid
- Weak question
- "What does the team do?"
- Why it costs you
- Answered by the JD; reads as unprepared
- Ask instead
- "Where does the feedback pipeline break down today?"
- Weak question
- "Is Cursor growing fast?"
- Why it costs you
- Public knowledge; signals shallow research
- Ask instead
- "What quality challenge does that growth create that you haven't solved yet?"
- Weak question
- "Will I get to use AI tools?"
- Why it costs you
- It's the whole role; signals you skimmed the JD
- Ask instead
- "Where is agent-assisted triage already working and where is it not?"
- Weak question
- "What's the WLB like?"
- Why it costs you
- Fine later, but a weak closing signal here
- Ask instead
- "What does the pace ask of this role specifically in a launch week?"
| Weak question | Why it costs you | Ask instead |
|---|---|---|
| "What does the team do?" | Answered by the JD; reads as unprepared | "Where does the feedback pipeline break down today?" |
| "Is Cursor growing fast?" | Public knowledge; signals shallow research | "What quality challenge does that growth create that you haven't solved yet?" |
| "Will I get to use AI tools?" | It's the whole role; signals you skimmed the JD | "Where is agent-assisted triage already working and where is it not?" |
| "What's the WLB like?" | Fine later, but a weak closing signal here | "What does the pace ask of this role specifically in a launch week?" |
Tie one question to something the interviewer said earlier. "You mentioned weekly bug briefs - what's the hardest part of turning raw signal into something leadership acts on?" That proves you were listening and that you already think in the artifacts of the role.
Don't save questions for the end and then ask none. "No, you covered everything" reads as disengagement in a round that's grading genuine interest. Walk in with five so two survive whatever gets answered in conversation.
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Optional practice