Most interview advice focuses on how to answer questions. Not enough of it covers what to ask — which is a problem, because "do you have any questions for us?" is one of the most important moments in the entire interview.
Saying no is a missed opportunity. Asking something generic ("what's the culture like?") is forgettable. Asking the right question signals curiosity, preparation, and the kind of thinking that finance firms genuinely want to see.
Here are three questions worth asking — and why they work.
1. "What does success look like in this role in the first 90 days?"
This question does several things at once. It shows you're already thinking about how to contribute rather than just whether you'll get the offer. It signals ambition and a results orientation. And it gives you genuinely useful information about what the firm actually values — which you can then reference in your follow-up email or, if you get the role, use to orient yourself in your first few months.
The answers are often revealing. A firm that talks about relationships and learning is different from one that immediately jumps to output and deliverables. Either can be right for you, but knowing the difference helps.
2. "What's something about working here that you couldn't have known before you joined?"
This is the question that gets the most interesting answers — and almost no candidate asks it.
Every workplace has a reality that isn't visible from the outside. Asking for it in this way signals genuine curiosity about the actual experience of working there, not just the marketed version. It also puts the interviewer in the role of advisor rather than evaluator, which tends to produce more candid, personal responses.
You'll hear things about the culture, the pace, the relationships between teams, or what surprised the interviewer when they started. All of it is useful information and it makes the conversation more memorable for both of you.
3. "What do the people who do really well here tend to have in common?"
This is a smarter version of "what are you looking for in a candidate?" — which interviewers have answered hundreds of times and tend to answer with corporate boilerplate.
Framing it around the people who do well rather than the ideal candidate gets a more honest, specific answer. You're asking them to describe observed patterns in real people, not recite a job description. The response tells you what the firm actually values versus what it says it values — which are sometimes different things.
It also gives you something to close on: "That's really helpful — I think [specific quality they mentioned] is something I've genuinely developed through [brief example]." A natural, low-pressure way to reinforce your own candidacy at the end of the conversation.
A few things worth knowing about asking questions
One good question beats three average ones. You don't need to ask every question on this list. Pick the one that feels most natural for the conversation and ask it well — follow up, engage with the answer, treat it like a conversation rather than a checklist.
Don't ask about salary or leave in a first interview. Save those for later in the process when you have an offer in hand. Asking about compensation before you've established your value reads as premature.
Don't ask something answered on their website. Asking about the firm's core business or services signals that you haven't done basic research. Your questions should show you've already done the homework and are now curious about things you genuinely couldn't find out any other way.
Write them down if you need to. It's completely acceptable to come into an interview with a notepad with a few questions written on it. It signals preparation, not lack of confidence.
The best interviews feel like a two-way conversation — because they are. The questions you ask are your half of that conversation. Make them count.