{
"$type": "site.standard.document",
"description": "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…",
"path": "/startup-interview-questions",
"publishedAt": "2026-02-23T00:00:00.000Z",
"site": "at://did:plc:go7eemqz4y5nhonj4kg5w2p6/site.standard.publication/blog",
"tags": [
"Guides",
"YouTube"
],
"textContent": "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.",
"title": "The startup interview questions that actually matter (most engineers skip these)"
}