The One Question You Must Ask The Interviewer

Don’t get me wrong…there are many questions you must ask the interviewer in order to land the job. Asking questions in the interview demonstrates your intelligence, drive, enthusiasm, and preparation. It turns the interview into a conversation between professionals, putting you in a better psychological position, interview-wise. You’ll also find out if you really want to work there. You’ll find out, for instance, if the environment is a good fit, if you can work with this manager, and if it’s a place where you can advance your career. All in all, having questions of your own to ask in the interview is a great thing.

But.

What's the most important interview question?

What’s the one question you can’t afford to forget? It’s the one question that can make or break your interview.

It’s “What are you looking for?”

Or you could ask it in a different way: “Can you describe your top performer in this role? What are his or her characteristics?”

Why would you ask this question? Because it sets up the interview…tone, structure, focus, etc. Maybe you think it’s obvious from the job description, or otherwise self-explanatory. By asking this question, you’re going to get at the heart of what the employer’s looking for, and it’s going to give you major guidance for how to formulate the rest of your answers–especially if you’re asked any behavioral event interview questions. You can choose the stories that are going to really tilt the interview in your favor.

Hiring managers are going to have a “formula” in their heads for what makes a great employee. 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 why you fit.

The interview is pretty precious real estate in your job search. You don’t want to waste time addressing what you THINK the employer wants. Just ask. Make every minute count, and make every answer give the hiring manager one more reason to offer you the job.