Stand out. Ask these 3 Questions to get the Offer
It was a job I wanted and an interview that didn’t go well. I was an ideal candidate, but I hadn’t convinced the interviewer. The sinking feeling on departure was verified later that day when they turned me down.
Looking back, I know it wasn’t that my answers were lacking; my questions were weak. It is easier to be on the questioning side of an interview. Any good interviewer will ask the same items to a slate of candidates. If the candidates were properly vetted, their responses would be pretty similar.
Conversely, the questions that candidates ask aren’t likely to be identical. At the end of every interview is the opportunity or request to ask any questions that you the interviewee have. Your questions are a way to stand out, guide an interview, address objections, and build conviction in the part of the interviewer that you are indeed, the ideal candidate for the position.
Asking specific questions will make you stand out from your competitors. Note: These questions will only make a difference if you are qualified and well-matched to the opportunity — if you are not in the right interview, even these questions won’t save you.
At appropriate intervals during an interview, ask questions that communicate your interest in the position, guide the interviewer, uncover reluctance, and build conviction. Here are my top candidate questions to ask:
1. “I think I would fit in well with your company culture and values. How and how much does the company evaluate potential fit in its hiring decision process?”
O.K., it’s a loaded question, but it is effective at getting the interviewer to consider your fit with the company. This question prompts the interviewer to acknowledge if you’re a good fit. If all candidates are evenly matched, the tie will go to the person with the best fit for the company’s culture. Be that person. Asking this question sets the perception in place that you do fit in and will be a good match.
You should never fail to ask this question if a potential boss is interviewing you.
2. “Based upon this interview, do you have any doubts about my ability to do this job?”
If you’re not the lead candidate, you should find out why. This question should get you some of the information you need to know why you might not get the job. The answer the interviewer gives to this question will reveal what they think are your shortcomings. It also gives you the chance to address the gaps in your candidacy. Tackle the interviewer’s doubts by first discovering them and then addressing them. Some will be legitimate shortcomings, but most will be misunderstandings.
This question opens a dialogue to remove perceived shortcomings and build the interviewer’s conviction of your candidacy.
Remember that the process is one of eliminating candidates, and missing skills is the primary criterion. Alternatively, the interviewer may respond that they do not doubt your ability to handle the job. And if they think this, you benefit from the interviewer stating it aloud. Speaking out loud has been shown to strengthen beliefs scientifically and prepares a person for action.
If you have asked and the interviewer has suitably answered the first two questions, and if you want the position, the next thing to say is the all-time best way to wrap up an interview. It’s not a question, but it is a statement that invites a response.
3. “I like this opportunity; I would like to ask for this job…”
Wait for a pregnant pause, ask for the job, and then…. wait for the answer. You could get the job offer right then, especially if you’re the lead candidate. Few candidates show their hand, and interviewers worry that their top candidates won’t accept the position. Making this statement gets right to the heart of the matter. It also endears you to the interviewer. Everyone wants folks to desire their organization and to work with them.
You may get a response such as “we have other people to see.” If that happens, say, “Of course, I have some other interviews, but I wanted you to know that I would like this job.”
You should ask for every job you interview for — -not necessarily because you want the job — — but you should never leave an interview uncertain of where you stand in the candidate ranking. How the interviewer responds to this declaration will provide you information about how you stack up against the competition and the stage of hiring process.
Most job prospects focus solely on their potential answers to interviewer queries when they prepare for an interview. It’s the questions you ask that can make or break your candidacy.
