What's the best interview question you can ask?
According to Eric Kramer in a guest post at What Would Dad Say, an interview is basically a sales call. So the best questions you can ask your interviewer are some of the same questions that top salespeople ask:
During your interview, you want to:
Do a needs analysis- figure out what the critical job requirements are from the hiring manager’s perspective. Just what is she looking for in terms of skills, experience, education, and personality?
What constitutes success in the first 3/6/12 months and how is success measured? What problem(s) does this position solve?
Link your assets to the job requirements- use examples of past jobs, projects, and education to communicate that you can do the job and do it well.
Differentiate yourself- talk about additional areas of expertise you bring to the position; your “value adds”
Talk about your successes- Tell stories about your accomplishments and share your “personal success factors”.
Present a strategic action plan- give a list of your goals for the first 30/60 days. Make them concrete, measurable, and discuss how you plan to achieve them.
Summarize why you are the best candidate- refer to the information you have already shared.
Ask questions-ask good questions about the job, company, and industry that demonstrate you have done your research.
Once you have accomplished the above sales tasks, it is time to ask the one best interview question of all time:
“Based on my background and skills what do you think would be the greatest challenges for me in this position?”
Why? Because asking for challenges is a subtle way of asking “why wouldn’t you hire me?” Asking a more direct question such as “Is there a reason you would not hire me?” puts the interviewer on the defensive and gets a dodge response instead of valuable information. Interviewers are more comfortable talking about “challenges” and are more likely to give you useful information about their thinking. Now you have the opportunity to address them directly in the interview and in your follow-through letter.
If the challenge(s) is a “show stopper” at least you know and you won’t be left looking at the phone and your email wondering if you will get the offer.
And the second best question?
“How and when should I follow up with you? This will prevent you from the unpleasant task of having to guess you follow-up strategy.
As an employer than someone who has conducted many interviews, I can tell you I have never seen better advice. This strategy is foolproof.
During your interview, you want to:
Do a needs analysis- figure out what the critical job requirements are from the hiring manager’s perspective. Just what is she looking for in terms of skills, experience, education, and personality?
What constitutes success in the first 3/6/12 months and how is success measured? What problem(s) does this position solve?
Link your assets to the job requirements- use examples of past jobs, projects, and education to communicate that you can do the job and do it well.
Differentiate yourself- talk about additional areas of expertise you bring to the position; your “value adds”
Talk about your successes- Tell stories about your accomplishments and share your “personal success factors”.
Present a strategic action plan- give a list of your goals for the first 30/60 days. Make them concrete, measurable, and discuss how you plan to achieve them.
Summarize why you are the best candidate- refer to the information you have already shared.
Ask questions-ask good questions about the job, company, and industry that demonstrate you have done your research.
Once you have accomplished the above sales tasks, it is time to ask the one best interview question of all time:
“Based on my background and skills what do you think would be the greatest challenges for me in this position?”
Why? Because asking for challenges is a subtle way of asking “why wouldn’t you hire me?” Asking a more direct question such as “Is there a reason you would not hire me?” puts the interviewer on the defensive and gets a dodge response instead of valuable information. Interviewers are more comfortable talking about “challenges” and are more likely to give you useful information about their thinking. Now you have the opportunity to address them directly in the interview and in your follow-through letter.
If the challenge(s) is a “show stopper” at least you know and you won’t be left looking at the phone and your email wondering if you will get the offer.
And the second best question?
“How and when should I follow up with you? This will prevent you from the unpleasant task of having to guess you follow-up strategy.
As an employer than someone who has conducted many interviews, I can tell you I have never seen better advice. This strategy is foolproof.
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© 2009 Created by Eric Shannon on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
