Asking great questions at the end of an interview earns you valuable insight, and also demonstrates your professionalism, thoughtfulness, and commitment to the job. So what is it about asking questions that makes confident interview candidates choke? Too often, candidates don’t prepare questions, they blank under the stress of the interview, or they miss opportunities to follow up on questions that naturally arise during the interview. But not you! You can maximize your question repertoire by preparing these powerful questions in advance.

1.      What is the history of this position?

Maybe this is a new position, or maybe it was recently vacated—and you’ll want to know why. Ask follow-up questions like, Who was managing the duties until now, and, Why did the predecessor move on (internal promotion: good, rage-quit: bad). If seven of your predecessors quit in the last year, that’s kind of important.

2.      What would like to see me accomplish in the first six months?

This is a valuable question for any position, but especially a newly created one that is expected to quickly fill a need. Instead of the job description’s routine responsibilities, you’ll get a glimpse of the company’s goals and specific, immediate intent for this position. Then you can shine the spotlight on your fabulous fit and value-add.

3.      What are the expectations for managing workflow?

Most jobs have enough work to keep you busy 24/7, so how will you know when you’re clear to go home for the day? Get a powerful look at the company’s culture by learning its expectations about working evenings and weekends, and about responding to messages outside of typical working hours.

4.      What part of this position has the toughest learning curve?

The technology, internal procedures, or even the org chart might be the biggest challenge. Identify where you’ll need to focus, and then ask for advice on how you can quickly get up to speed and reach maximum efficiency.

5.      Do you have any doubts or concerns that I am the best fit for this position?

This is a bold question not everyone will feel comfortable asking (and not every interviewer will feel comfortable answering), but it can give you one last opportunity to address your fit with the role and to dissuade any reasons to not hire you. You won’t get a chance once the interview ends!

If you’re feeling extra bold, you can also ask the interviewer questions about their own experience with the company: What is challenging about their job? What do they like most about their work? How would they describe the company’s culture? Does the interviewer feel like their feedback and opinions are valued? Their responses give you an opportunity to connect with your interviewer, and also offer a window into working at the company.

See? No choking for you, now you’re prepared with a list of inspired interview questions that will make you look thoughtful and engaged. You’ll be sure to close the interview on a high note!