The startup interview questions that actually matter (most engineers skip these)

After 2,431 interviews in 2025, we've noticed something: the best candidates ask completely different questions.Most engineers interviewing at startups still ask generic questions like "What's the culture like?" or "What will I be working on?" These questions get vague answers and don't help you figure out if the company will actually succeed.In this video, PostHog co-founder James Hawkins shares the exact questions that separate great candidates from average ones—and the red flags that tell you to run.What you'll learnHow to evaluate if a startup has product-market fit (without asking directly)The "default alive" question that reveals if a company will surviveQuestions that show you're a proactive problem-solver, not just looking for directionHow to spot if founders view engineering as a cost centerRed flags in company culture that most people missWhy asking about founder motivations matters more than you thinkSubscribe to PostHog on YouTube for more videos like this.