The Best Interview Questions to Ask (and Which to Avoid)

A good interview comes down to two things: asking the right questions, and knowing which ones to avoid. Ask well, and a 45-minute conversation can tell you who's actually able to do the job. Ask poorly — or ask something you legally shouldn't — and you either learn nothing useful or open yourself up to a real problem.

Here are the questions worth asking, grouped by what they reveal, plus a clear list of what to steer clear of.

(This post pairs with our how-to-interview guide, which covers running the interview itself. This is general guidance, not legal advice — the "avoid" list touches employment law that varies by state, so confirm what applies to you.)

Start with behavioral questions — your workhorse

Past behavior predicts future behavior better than almost anything. "Tell me about a time…" questions make a candidate show you what they did, instead of telling you what they'd theoretically do. A few strong ones:

Tell me about a time you handled a difficult customer or client. What did you do? Describe a time you missed a deadline. What happened, and how did you handle it? Tell me about a time you disagreed with a manager. How did it go? Give me an example of a time you had to learn something new, fast.

Then follow up: "What was the result?" and "What would you do differently now?" The follow-ups are where the real answers live.

Understand how they actually work

Walk me through how you'd prioritize if everything on your plate was due the same day. What does a great workday look like for you? How do you prefer to receive feedback? Tell me about a project you're proud of — what was your specific role in it?

Test for the role's real requirements

Pull a few questions straight from your job description. For a customer-facing role: "How do you handle an upset customer who's technically in the wrong?" For a detail-heavy role: "How do you catch your own mistakes?" Concrete beats generic every time.

Get at motivation

Why this role, and why here? What are you hoping to learn or grow into next? What would make you leave a job?

These help you gauge whether someone will stick around and thrive, or churn out in six months.

Always end with their questions

"What questions do you have for us?" is more revealing than it looks. Candidates who've done their homework ask sharp, specific questions. Silence isn't always a red flag — but genuine curiosity is a good sign.

The questions to avoid

Here's the part that protects you. Certain questions can expose you to discrimination claims because they touch on legally protected characteristics — even when you're only making small talk. As a rule, don't ask about:

Age — including when someone graduated, which is a common stand-in for age. Marital status, children, pregnancy, or family plans. Religion or which religious holidays someone observes. Race, ethnicity, or national origin. (You may ask whether someone is legally authorized to work in the U.S. — not where they're "from.") Disabilities or medical history. (You may ask whether they can perform the essential functions of the job.) Salary history — now banned in many states and cities. Arrest record — rules here vary, and questions about convictions are regulated too.

The safe filter is simple: if a question isn't about whether this person can do this job, leave it out. Keep the conversation on skills, experience, and how they work.

This is general guidance, not legal advice — these rules vary by state and locality, so confirm what applies to you or check with a professional before you finalize your list.

One habit that ties it together

Pick your key questions ahead of time and ask every candidate the same core set. It makes your comparisons fair, your notes actually useful, and your final decision far easier to stand behind.

Where Human Solutions+ comes in

Human Solutions+ doesn't sit in on your interviews, but it handles the bookends: create the job description that shapes your questions, generate the offer letter when you've found the one, and move them into structured onboarding once they accept. And if a question strays toward legal territory, Toby, your built-in AI assistant, is built to flag it and point you toward guidance rather than guess.

The best interviews aren't interrogations. They're focused conversations built on a few well-chosen questions — and the discipline to skip the ones that can get you in trouble.

See how Human Solutions+ helps you hire.