Asking questions in the interview demonstrates your intelligence, drive, enthusiasm, and preparation for the job. It turns the interview into a conversation between professionals, putting you in a better psychological position in the interview. It also helps you decide if you really want to work there, in that environment, with that boss. All in all, having questions of your own to ask in the interview is a great thing.
However, the ultimate success of your interview can depend on you asking just the right question in the beginning of your conversation. So, what’s the one question that can make or break your interview? It’s this:
“What are you looking for?”
Why should you ask this question? Maybe you think that what they want in a new employee is obvious from the job description, but that isn’t always the case. By asking this question, you’re going to get at the heart of what this hiring manager is looking for, and understand much better how to answer the questions in this interview. You won’t waste time addressing what you think they want–and maybe miss the mark. If you ask, you’ll know what they want. Then, you can choose the answers, examples, and stories that will tilt the interview in your favor.
In a sales interview, you can ask the same question in a different way: “Can you describe your top performer in this role? What are his or her characteristics?” Sales managers will have a “formula” in their heads for what makes a great sales rep. It will vary depending on the industry, the individual company, and the products or services they sell. If you can uncover what that formula is, then you have a much better shot at showing the hiring manager how you fit.
When you find out what this hiring manager is really hoping for, every interview answer will give the hiring manager one more reason to offer you the job.
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