The end of the job interview is generally the candidate’s time to ask any questions on his or her mind. Asking, “What’s the hardest part of this job?” is a good way to assess the potential challenges. An honest interviewer will give you an extensive rundown of the challenges at hand; for example, if you’re interviewing with a wet-behind-the-ears startup, they might mention that projects need to be completed under tight deadlines and tighter budgets. An interviewer at a larger tech company, meanwhile, may allude to communications issues between divisions or silos. If an interviewer seems evasive about the question, take note: Every company faces challenges, and a failure to acknowledge them is a red flag. But if they describe issues that seem interesting to you, it could be a sign that you’re meant to work there.
