The Single Best Question to Ask on Any Interview
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
Beating The Applicant Tracking System
Most interviews are done like interview jujitsu. A question is asked of you and you answer. Another is asked and you answer. Again. And again. And again.
Let me paint a different scene for you. You’re been scheduled for an interview and reviewed the job description. You’ve done whatever your mental gymnastics you do to “get ready” for the conversation.
The phone rings or you join the video meeting. Perhaps this is a face-to-face interview and you’ve been escorted into a conference room for the interview. Each of you has sat down. Whatever the format, the interview is about to begin.
Do you wait for them to speak first?
I hope you don’t.
Whether it’s a phone, video or in-person interview, I’m going to offer the single best way to start the interview.
Let’s go to the phone interview for a moment. This is how the conversation will flow:
“Is this Jack James?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Hi! My name is Maria Hurtado with XYZ Corporation and I’m calling to speak with you about your background.”
“Hi, Maria, thanks for taking the time to call. I spoke with Jeff Altman about the position and he gave me a brief description of the job but I wanted to get your take on the role. Would you tell me about the position as you see it and what I can do to help you?”
Or imagine the same scene in-person where just as you each sit down for the interview, and you referred by a recruiter.
As you both sit down, just as your posterior touches the seat of the chair, rather than waiting for Maria to talk, you speak first.
“Thanks for taking the time to meet with me. I reviewed the position description your firm posted to which I responded and it provided a brief description of the job but I wanted to get your take on the role. Would you tell me about the position as you see it and what I can do to help?”
What you do next is listen to how the interviewer describes the position and what the challenges are that the company faces. Maria’s answer also gives you the opportunity to speak to the elements of your experience that fit the job description, instead of passively playing “question and answer ju-jitsu.” You know, talking about what you’ve done, instead of talking about what you’ve done that matters to them and connecting the dots between your experience and the job requirements.
Remember: Don’t just speak about your experience. Answer questions about your experience and connect it to the job they want filled!
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Ashevhttps://wp.me/p4aIk1-9vWille, NC 2010, 2016, 2023
Six Questions To Ask In The Interview To Avoid Any Surprises Your First Day On The Job
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
People hire Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter to provide No BS Career Advice globally because he makes many things in peoples’ careers easier. Those things can involve job search,
hiring more effectively, managing and leading better, career transition, as well as advice about resolving workplace issues.
Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with over 2700 episodes.
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