Open-ended questions in interviews: your moment to shine
It’s not just about answering well, but asking the right questions to evaluate if that job really suits you.
There’s a moment at the end of almost every interview when they tell you: “Do you have any questions?” And of course, right there, with nerves, your brain half-fried and sweaty hands, it’s hard to come up with something better than “no, everything’s clear, thanks.” But that space—even though it seems small or decorative—is your turn to speak freely, to show real interest… and also to test whether that place suits you or not. Because yes, you’re evaluating too.
And that’s where open-ended questions come in. It’s not the same to say: “Is the schedule flexible?” as asking: “What’s a typical workday like here?” In the first case, they can give you a yes or no and that’s it. In the second, you open the door to a conversation. To details, nuances, even to detecting if what they’re telling you sounds forced or authentic. Open-ended questions give you clues: about the environment, the people, the values… things that don’t appear in the job posting.
Besides, asking good questions says a lot about you. It speaks of curiosity, that you don’t settle for the minimum, that you care about understanding where you’re getting into. And the best part is you don’t need to have a perfect list. It’s enough to listen well during the interview and then pull the thread. Sometimes, you can even say: “I was struck by what you said earlier about team projects… how do you organize them?” That simple. And that powerful.
Specialized resources to master interviews
Five specific guides to better prepare yourself and stand out in any selection process.
Personal Development
How to talk about your professional growth and future goals convincingly.
Training
Present your education and continuous learning as competitive advantages.
Mentorship Program
Demonstrate your ability to learn and teach in collaborative environments.
Role Challenges
How to address job difficulties and show your problem-solving capacity.
Future Projects
Articulate your long-term vision and how it fits with company objectives.
When to use open-ended and when closed questions (simple version)
Use open-ended questions to understand better. They’re useful at the beginning: they reveal the story, the reasons and what really matters.
Use closed questions to decide or confirm. They’re useful at the end: they help choose, prioritize or set a date.
A sequence that works well is: open to explore, narrow with examples and data, and close with a decision.
Useful questions for interviews (and why they work)
- “What’s a typical day like in this position?” Why it works: gives you a real picture of daily work, beyond the official description.
- “What growth opportunities are there here?” Why it works: shows your ambition and helps you evaluate your future at the company.
- “What are the biggest challenges the team is currently facing?” Why it works: demonstrates genuine interest and prepares you for what’s coming.
- “How would you describe the work culture here?” Why it works: reveals real values and helps you see if you fit.
The STAR method: structure your answers like a professional
When they ask you questions about past experiences, use this formula:
- Situation: Describe the specific context where the experience occurred.
- Task: Explain what your responsibility was or the objective you had.
- Action: Detail the concrete actions you took to resolve the situation.
- Result: Share the results obtained, preferably with data or metrics.
Example: “In my previous job (Situation), I had to increase team sales by 20% (Task). I implemented a weekly tracking system and monthly training sessions (Action). By the end of the quarter, we exceeded the goal with a 25% increase (Result).”
Common interview mistakes (and how to avoid them)
- Not asking questions at the end. Better: prepare 3-4 intelligent questions that show your real interest.
- Answering with monosyllables. Better: use the STAR method to give structured and complete answers.
- Criticizing previous employers. Better: focus on what you learned and how it helped you grow.
- Not researching the company. Better: spend 30 minutes learning about their history, values and recent projects.
Final tips to shine in your interview
- Before: Practice your answers out loud, prepare concrete examples and arrive 10 minutes early.
- During: Maintain eye contact, listen actively and ask follow-up questions when appropriate.
- After: Send a thank-you email within 24 hours mentioning something specific from the conversation.
Remember: an interview is a bidirectional conversation. You’re also evaluating whether the company is the right place for you. Open-ended questions help you get that valuable information you need to make the best decision.